Under a Crimson Moon by Mad Mary Bonney
by Blamey-Fomorrii
Summary: Harry and others meet up with Kagome and Inuyasha! What will happen when they have to look for the Horcrux and Naraku at the same time? Cameos of all your favorite characters!
1. Prolouge

**Prologue **

In the dark he waited. The sun rose and fell in the window behind his back. Yet he never noticed it. Any person walking past this form would immediately assume that he was just a wax statue in a museum. But the three men who were standing outside the small office door knew better. They knew that this young man would go into his office and it was their job to make sure that he wasn't interrupted until he came out. They weren't worried that the man hadn't come out all day. What worried them is if he came out too soon.

"What do you think he is doing in there?" Wondered the first out loud. He was a small piggy man; and his small, black eyes were almost hidden from the flesh on his massive forehead. His receding hairline didn't help to soften his forehead. His aura was that of a sneak, he would spend his entire life gathering information and then turn around and sell it to the highest bidder.

"If I did do you really think I would tell you, servant?" The second retorted. This man seemed to be one you wouldn't want to cross; pale, slimy skin covered his body. It was hard to believe from how pale his skin was that his hair was black. His eyes matched his nightmarish hair; in the dark corridor where the three were waiting this man's eyes seemed to be holes straight through his pale skin, tunneling through to the darkness behind him.

The third man said nothing. Of the three he seemed the least sinister. His hair was thick and light brown, almost as if he had gotten to much sun. His skin matched; compared to the rest of the household he looked dark, even though his skin was a light brown. His eyes were the most inviting of all, they were golden. Like his companions this man also had a surprising feature about him. Despite his looks he was the most sinister of them all. With his back against the wall and his long legs crossed in front of him this man exhumed confidence.

As the first two argued, the third rolled his eyes. He couldn't stand those two. He hated them, the first would bait the second and the second would snap. Bait and snap that was all they ever did. The third man wondered over again why his master refused to let him out of their sight. Hadn't he proved his loyalty three years ago?

All three men were awakened from their stupor when the door opened. They stood at attention but their master didn't even seem to notice them. He simply walked down the long hallway at which his office was at the end of. As soon as he started walking another being stepped out from the wall on the opposite end. The two men mirrored each other, not in appearance, no this new man was anything but their master. He had black hair that almost grazed the floor tied back, and his eyes were the shape of almonds. No these men looked nothing like each other but they both mirrored the other in aura. The evil was so strong that even the men could feel it.

The two men still were walking towards the other and then when they hit it seemed like they walked through an invisible curtain and they disappeared.

"What do you think that was?" Said the first man, and for the first time ever the second had nothing to say.


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter 1**

The raven haired girl threw down her pencil for the hundredth time. She looked out her bedroom window and saw there was no moon that night. _Inyuasha must not be very happ- Stop you can't keep thinking about them. _ Resolved the girl picked up her pencil again only to throw it down a few seconds later. _Maybe I should go and walk, yes a nice walk will help to clear my head. _

As she walked down the deserted suburb streetsshe thought about the past. _I know they are all dead and gone but I can't just forget everything like it didn't happen. You can't just give up friends like that cold turkey. _Finally resolving what she was going to do she looked up to find out exactly where she was.

_I guess when I need to clear my head I really have to go far _she thought. After turning her third corner to get back to her house she still had an idea of her surroundings, but by the time she had gotten to her fourth corner she was sinking deeper into her thoughts like they were a cool refreshing pool. If she hadn't been so busy swimming in her brain then she would have noticed the young man standing in the center of the walk in front of her.

"Oh! Excuse me," was exclaimed from both parties when they collided. It was then when the girl had a chance to see her obstacle. He had a great lot of thick hair in a color that was not common in Japan, light roan brown. But the thing that was most striking about this man was his eyes were the color of liquid gold.

"No it is I who should apologize. Here I am lost and the one time I stop to look where I am it is right in front of someone." He laughed and his eyes, if it were possible, got even more golden.

"Oh, I would have seen you if I were paying attention." Said the girl, _wow he is really beautiful, and his voice is just like his eyes, liquid smooth. _"What is your name?" She asked only because she didn't want him to leave.

"Kin," he smiled, and it covered his entire face. The girl smiled as well, she could see why he was named that. (A.N. Kin means Golden in Japanese.)

"Well, mine is Kagome. I hope we will run into each other again Kin." She bowed and was about to pass him when he spoke to her.

"Wait! Can you help me? You're the first person who I have seen all night." He looked at her with almost pleading eyes. That look reminded Kagome of her kit.

"Fine, where do you have to go?" That look always got her; Shippo could make her do anything with that look.

"Um..." he took a piece of paper from his pocket and read "The Higurashi Shrine." He looked back at her with an air of polite confusion.

Kagome's breath caught in her chest, this man was looking for her shrine? Why was it the first night that she decided to move on with her life the world brought this man who somehow reminded her of all the things in her past?

"What do you need at the shrine?" She asked in a shaking voice.

The man in a very chivalrous act pretended not to hear the hesitation in the girl's voice.

"I have some business to attend to there." If Kagome hadn't been so preoccupied with her thoughts she would have been able to feel the sinister aura coming from the man's comment.

"Yes, um follow me. It isn't far." She looked down to her shoes when she said this, for some very odd reason she felt like she couldn't tell him just at that moment that her family owned the very same shrine this young man was looking for.

Again he didn't seem to notice her sudden interest in her laces. He put forth his best smile and she looked back at him. She seemed so fragile, like if he pushed her too hard then she would break. What his master wanted with her he had no idea. She just seemed to be a small introverted teenager who had absolutely no connection to him at all. _I must do whatever master wants and master wants this girl so he will have this girl._ _I must get her to trust me. _He held his hand out and put out an even better smile, one that Kagome was useless to. She took his hand and led the way back to her house.

When they were standing outside her door she said: "Well I should probably warn you, I live here and my family has owned this shrine for generations." She again had a problem looking into those golden orbs and this time looked at their interlocking fingers. _Was it right to feel an attraction to this man? He is so much older than me, but then Inyuasha was over fifty years older than you too_ a tiny voice called out to her, she giggled and looked at him.

"What luck then I have had to have met you on the street!" He exclaimed with such excitement Kagome was taken aback. "I mean," he quickly corrected himself, "it was a very strange thing indeed for us to meet the way we did." Still looking at him oddly Kagome agreed and went up to the front door; finally having to drop his hand to get her keys out to unlock the door.

Thinking that there would be no one up in the house at that time in the night Kagome hoped they would be able to slip in unnoticed and leave Kin in the guest bedroom. Unfortunately the house was run by a woman who had an uncanny ability to hear everything that made noise.

"Where have you been?!" She called from the living room, Kagome cringed and Kin laughed in spite of himself.

"Hi mom." Kagome said meekly. Kagome's mother ran to the entrance way and started to yell at her daughter.

"Bed empty! No note! Paper unfinished! I could have called…" Her face and voice seemed to sag like a balloon because she noticed Kin for the first time. "And who may I ask are you?!" She stared angrily between the two of them as if they were doing something other than walking along a street.

"Mom, don't freak out Kin was lost and I helped him on his way." Kagome got between both of them and tried to calm her mother down. It was the perfect opportunity for Kin to pull out his wand and hide it in the folds of his jacket.

When Kagome had calmed her mother down she turned to Kin and mentioned that she would make a pot of tea. The second her hair whipped around the corner Kagome's mother shot a suspicious glance at Kin and then turned her back to him.

_Imperio._

It was just a whisper not even that, Kagome's mother fell under Kin's control immediately.

"Kagome, why don't you give this nice young man the Shikon No Tama?" Her mother said in an odd voice. It seemed to go through a filter, a filter that seemed to take the entire human element out of it.

"What mom? I can't hear you over the water running." Kagome called.

With his wand carefully hidden in the small of her back Kin pushed his victim towards the kitchen. When they were in the doorway he pushed the older woman with his mind into repeating the line.

"What!" Kagome's face turned from surprise to anger in seconds. Kin loved watching her squirm and let out a low laugh.

"Did you really think that I was interested in you? Please, spare me the tangled web of high school drama I went through those years ago. Now if you would be so kind as to give me the Shikon No Tama and I will be on my way." He gave out his true smile, a smile that made his eyes grow hard and cold, a smile that seemed to take all the joy out of his entire face, a cruel smile.

"I can't I don't have it." She said indignantly looking him straight in the eye.

"Wrong answer," he said smiling again, "_cruico_!"

Kagome fell to the floor in pain, it seemed that there was thousands of bugs crawling and biting her. Every single part of her exploded with throbbing bitterness that didn't seem to go away.

As instantly as it had come, it disappeared because Kin had dropped the stick he was holding. He was grasping his arm and his face was contorted, when he pulled his sleeve up there was a black tattoo shining as if the ink had been crawling through his skin to get to the surface. Kin growled and grabbed his wand and disappeared with a pop.

Kagome had never felt anything like that. Of course she had felt pain before, but the way the young man had chosen his exit. His aura had completely disappeared, no not completely but it had decreased substantially.

"Kagome, where is that young man you brought here?" Her mothers said as if she had done nothing but walk out of the room and just come back. Kagome looked at her mother in surprise; both seemed to feel the same emotion. Her mother blinked several times and then seemed to think nothing of it and went to the door.

Kagome meanwhile had felt a strange sinking sensation. Her entire body felt like cold water had been dumped on her, but then to add on she felt something else and it was like the wind was blowing on her freezing wet body.

"Mom, I think I need to go away for a while." With that said the raven haired girl got up and went to her room to pack.


	3. Chapter Two

A note from your author: I completly forgot to say that I don't own Harry Potter and you were thinking that I was J. K. Rowling! I am flattered. Thank you to all who have reviewed, and as for the threats, I will not be intimidated, I will stand strong and firm for the rights of every Fan Fiction Reader out there (Thousands of people behind me yelling "Get on with it" ah I love Monty Python) Thank you.

**Chapter 2**

"Boy!" A voice roared from the downstairs living room. The voice belonged to a man whose face could make an egg plant look pale. Large and very purple this man seemed like a giant compared to the stick of a woman sitting next to him. Both had beady eyes, only the man's seemed to sink behind his eyebrows, while the woman's seemed to pop out under her very heavily manicured forehead.

When a young man came down to see what he was being summoned for he looked nothing like the couple on the couch. He didn't even have beady eyes. His eyes were the color of evergreens, and his hair seemed to not touch any other hair on his head.

"Boy, can you explain this?" The man's face seemed to get, if possible, more purple. He threw down the paper, while never letting his gaze off the young man's face. The man kept staring and the boy's face treating him as if he were a ticking bomb or a man with a gun on the edge.

The young man picked the paper up, it looked as if the new library was finished and the Minister would be cutting the ribbon on Tuesday.

"What, I didn't build the library." The boy had had enough of his aunt and uncle, the couple on the couch, constantly treating him as if he caused everything to go wrong.

"Idiot, not that the one under it, haven't they taught you how to properly read newspapers at that freak place?" His uncle sneered. It seemed to delight him to no end to belittle his nephew.

The young man kept looking until he found the article his uncle was blaming him for.

_**Crime Rates Explode **_

_During this time of external peace London has been subjected to rising crime. The suspects still remain at large, and no one has been able to get a good look at the criminals. The crime rates have been rising over the past three years. If any person has information about these crimes they are told to contact 1-900………_

The man stopped reading there, it was Voldemort, he was certain of it.

"Well, boy, is that part of your crowd? Some of your freaky friends at that freak school, are you their ringleader? Taking-" His uncle stopped there because the boy had walked out of the room. He simply didn't care anymore. What was the point of trying to speak to his aunt and uncle? He was leaving tomorrow anyway.

"Boy get back here! I am not done speaking with you!" His uncle's face went from a deep purple to a fuchsia, it seemed his purple features stayed with him even though it wanted to go red with anger.

His nephew, however, was paying no attention to the fuchsia that seemed to cover his uncle's face, nor was he interested with whatever he had to say. His mind had gone, surprisingly, back to the newspaper. What was Voldemort planning?

When he finally got up to his room, the second his door opened something popped out. He saw it for a moment before it started going down the stairs. Not wanting to upset his uncle further the boy grabbed the fluff ball and went back into his room.

The small ball turned out to be his best friend Ron's owl, Pig. Tiny and annoying the bird seemed to grow on Ron. Thinking of his friend the boy's heart fluttered, by this time tomorrow he would never have to see the Dursleys, his aunt and uncle, ever again. However when he finally got the letter from Pig, not a very easy task, his heart sank as if it were a lead weight.

_Harry,_

_How are you? Well there is no point not telling you, we can't come and pick you up tomorrow. With the wedding and everything else we have no way of getting to your house. Mum says we can come when everything settles down, whenever that will be. Sorry mate._

_Ron_

_P.S. Don't let this get you down._

A likely chance, Harry thought. The Dursley's wouldn't listen to an excuse like that, he was being thrown out first thing in the morning whether he liked it or not.

As he sat on his bed thinking, his snow owl flew over next to him. She looked at him with one of her black button eyes and held her leg out.

"I don't have a letter for you," Harry snapped, he didn't mean to take it out on her but he was disappointed and angry. With that she ruffled her feathers but stuck her leg out even farther.

"You want me to send a letter?" Harry said confused, his anger ebbing away from the look his owl was giving him. The look was one his friend Hermione gave him all the time; _You've finally caught on have you?_

"Ok, who do you want it to go to?" If owls could sigh then this one just did, she gave another look at Harry as if the answer was painfully obvious and then flew off to his desk. She picked up his unfinished letter to Hermione and dropped it on his lap. When he finally got what she was telling him, her leg was out waiting for the letter to be tied.

He quickly finished the letter and gave it Hedwig, as he watched her snowy wings open up and fly off he felt his hopes began to rise again, maybe he would make it to Ron's after all.

Less than an hour later the telephone rang. Harry listened to hear his uncle's curt voice answering. The conversation went deadly quiet and then:

"Boy!" Harry almost fell off of his bed, who would be calling him?

When he got downstairs his uncle handed him the phone and then watched, as if Harry had never used a telephone before.

"Harry?" Came a female voice after he said hello.

"Hermione! Why are you calling?"

"I wanted to make sure about our plans for tomorrow." She said this as if she knew Harry's uncle was listening in. "It is a long drive so can we pick up at nine?"

"Yeah, nine is fine, bye." Harry put the phone back in its cradle and then turned to his uncle. "That was my friend, she is picking me up at nine tomorrow." Harry then turned away. His uncle however was not finished with him.

"Boy, if you bring any havoc in this house then you won't be able to leave for a very long time." Beneath his eyebrows, his eyes were popping just like his wife's.

"Don't worry, Hermione's parents are muggles. They won't cause a disturbance."

How wrong he was.


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter 3**

As she was walking up the stairs to her room, Kagome realized she had absolutely no idea where she was going. At this startling realization she sank to the floor in avid terror. Every time she was going to go after demons she was with Inyuasha, but this time she was completely alone and she would be going to a foreign country. _Well, grit your teeth girl, and get up and get going._ For once she actually listened to the little voice inside her head and got up.

When she neared her bedroom she caught a reflection of herself in the hall mirror. She was horrified at what she saw. There wasn't a living girl in front of the mirror, but instead a porcelain white face, which made her turquoise eyes and ruby lips look like an angry black line on a white piece of paper. Her hair was matted from the sweat on her face, yet her clothes were dry and even seemed too big on her. _Well I guess I have enough time to take a shower before I leave_ she thought.

An hour later Kagome walked out of the bathroom, gentle wisps of steam tenderly trying to transport her back into the warmth and safety of the affectionate water. Kagome ignored this and went to her room to pack. As she was packing she felt a new sinking sensation. Reaching out with her mind she felt it again. It was his aura.

When she dropped her bags at the front door Kagome knew she had to do what she had been dreading for the past hour. She went to the kitchen where her mother was washing dishes. The steam was trying to do the same for her mother as it had done with Kagome. It seemed to be working, the steam would rise and Kagome's mother would tilt her head back with a look of tranquility on her face. Kagome inwardly smiled, she was going to miss the short time of peace she felt when she had come home.

"Mom," Kagome felt like she was a small child coming to tell her mom that she had had a nightmare and she was frightened. "I have to leave now. I don't want to stay here if that puts you in danger, he will try and come back." Her mother never turned around but instead said;

"Where are you going to go?" Her voice almost cracked, yet Kagome could tell she was doing everything in her power not to let it.

"Tokyo; and then-"

"No don't tell me, I don't want to let that fiend know where you went." When she finished saying this Kagome's mother turned around.

Years later someone would ask Kagome what she said in return to her mother's statement, but Kagome would say she couldn't remember. All she recalled was the way her mother looked, like a hero. Kagome said she wondered if a hero could stand there in pajamas, a flower apron, and soap suds up to her elbows.

Both were at a loss for words, yet they stood there and hugged and before long Kagome let go and wandered to the door. Before she looked back she heard a sizable sniff and then nothing except the sounds of clinking dishes trying to sooth away the loneliness. With that Kagome opened the door to the great expanse of darkness trying to sweep her away.

With one last look back Kagome closed the door and was swallowed up by the night. _I'll come back, as soon as this is all over._

"All trains leaving for Tokyo are now boarding at platforms A, B, C7 and G." Said a woman's voice over the intercom, Kagome wondered if they actually interviewed women who could sound wonderful over the air but speak so fast that the only thing you hear is the first word and the last syllable of the entire message. She rolled her eyes and hoisted up her backpack and grabbed her suitcase.

When she finally got to the correct platform, Kagome found an empty compartment and shoved her suitcase in the rack above her head. The compartment was nice and clean with a wide window at one end and glass doors at the other. She bunked down and fell fast asleep only waking when the ticket man came to clip her slip of paper.

When she finally reached Tokyo she hailed a cab and made her way to the airport. The instant she walked through the sliding doors she heard the intercom voice again. She wondered if both the train company and the airport used the same kind of people for the job.

After she checked in, thankful to finally drop her suitcase off, she decided to find a restaurant to eat something.

When she sat down at a small table eating ramen she finally had a chance to think about what she was getting herself into. She decided to list everything down in her head to try and make sense of it. 1) Naraku was back, Kagome didn't know how but he was, and he was even worse than ever. 2) He seemed to gain even more power, again no idea how but he seemed to be twice as powerful. 3) He has gained followers, the one she met was human but it was only a matter of time before he awoke the demons. 4) She had no followers, but she could sense a very pure source of power very near to Naraku. FINAL PLAN find whatever this pure source is and then use it against Naraku.

She nodded her head and then woke from her stupor, only to find that she only caught the last part of the announcement concerning her flight. The waiters had seen fast before but when that girl took off she set the record of "speedy exits."


	5. Chapter Four

**Chapter 4**

When the clock turned to six a.m. Harry could be found pacing his room. He could hardly believe that he was leaving this dreaded dwelling for good. He also could hardly believe that he was seventeen. Hedwig gave a sleepy sort of hoot. Harry hardly noticed her; he just kept pacing his mind elsewhere.

When he heard his aunt and uncle getting up he tried to calm himself down. At 8:45 he decided to go downstairs. He closed his trunk, which he had packed weeks ago, decided instead of bringing it down he would leave it until they arrived.

Just when he was about to open his door, a magnificent eagle owl soared into his room. It had a letter in its beak, when it saw Harry successfully had the letter it took off. Hedwig looked rather put off that the owl didn't stay. Harry opened the letter and read:

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_As a now legal citizen of the magic community we at the Ministry of Magic would like to please inform you about the consequences of performing magic in the presence of non-magical beings (muggles). Please carefully read through the enclosed pamphlet. Happy Birthday._

_Miranda Gribbenshok_

Harry looked at the other pieces of parchment, some of them entitled _Muggles and Magic_, and _The Importance of Silence and Secrecy_. Harry was dumbfounded, hadn't six years at Hogwarts taught them anything? But when he thought of Hogwarts made him think of its headmaster. Harry felt that all too familiar lump in his throat, he had lost too many close friends and family in his seventeen years. Shaking his head he thought _I know they are all dead and gone but I can't just forget everything like it didn't happen. You can't just give up friends like that cold turkey. _Looking back at his clock he was startled to see that it was five to nine.

A minute after Harry came downstairs he realized it would have been better if he had stayed in his room. The tension could not only be sliced with a knife, Harry thought if channeled correctly the tension between his cousin, aunt, and uncle could not only knock down their entire house it probably build a bigger and better one at that. He thought of the last times wizards had come in contact with the Dursleys. When he was eleven a his friend Hagrid had made a pigs tail come out of his cousin's buttocks, when he was twelve Ron and his brothers drove a flying car and tore off the side of the house. When he was fourteen, Ron again had come and it ended up with Harry's cousin supporting another interesting feature on his body, a twelve and a half foot purple tongue. Last year the headmaster of Hogwarts himself had come to get Harry and the Dursleys had had their wine glasses stuck to their head. So now there was tension.

At exactly nine a car pulled into the driveway. A couple got out along with three others around Harry's age. Harry put his face in his hands when he saw two identical red heads. When the doorbell rang, and his uncle hissed at him to get it, Harry hesitantly opened the door.

"HARRY!" The door seemed to explode with noise and people. The entire neighborhood was made up of people like Harry's aunt, nosy and on a personal vendetta against anything unusual. So when yells of hello and how are you were said Harry could see curtains whipping around to see what the commotion was. Harry invited them inside greeting everyone who walked through the door. Hermione's parents were quiet muggles, and Harry wondered how on earth they were going to last the long hours in the car with;

"Harry! How are you old chap? We would have been home earlier except everyone has been hopping about this old wedding our dear brother has been kind enough to have over this summer." This wasn't the first time Ron's twin brothers had been to the Dursleys. I seemed this time they were trying to be on their manners, since it was their fault Harry's cousin had a tongue the size of a baby python.

When all had come into the living room it seemed Hermione's father knew Harry's uncle. They were talking of business while everyone sat, though Harry watched the twin's every move with eagle eyes. Then in a split second making it seem like an accident Fred, one of the twins, set off one of his fireworks.

Completely harmless, the firework bounced off the walls like a pinball. With both twins jumping up and yelling over the screaming firework, Fred then "accidentally" let off a whole bag of the fireworks. Harry wondered what the neighbors saw, inside it looked as if, well as if there were a thousand fireworks going off in a small area.

Harry got close to one of the twins as a giant blue flaming wagon wheel flew past their heads and said "Don't you think you have traumatized them enough?"

It was true the Dursley's did look traumatized, all three were frozen in their seats and they were just staring at small spaces right on the coffee table in front of them. Vernon Dursley seemed to wear a face of compete shock, Petunia Dursley seemed on the brink of fainting from what the neighbors might think, and Dudley Dursley seemed just surprised his parents were so shocked, the visions of flaming fireworks shooting off didn't seem to reach his brain yet. In fact he kept staring foreword when a sparkler was shooting three foot sparkles and spelled dirty words three inches from his nose.

Fred looked at him and then stopped the fireworks with a flick of his wand.

"Party pooper," Harry distinctly heard from behind him. Both the Dursleys and Hermione's parents seemed to be in shock. Hermione seemed to be trying with all her might to hold in silent laughter. Harry quickly got his trunk and they all practically ran from the house.

"Should we have left them like that?" Hermione whispered to Harry as they were leaving. Harry gave a hollow laugh.

"I would be more worried if we were still here when they finally realized what happened."

"Harry! I thought you would want to end your stay here with a bang." Fred looked slightly put out that Harry had made them stop so early. "We brought a huge supply, our final skit was I was going to be beheaded by George." Everyone laughed at this last remark and George came up behind his twin and pretended to act it out.

"Nice guys, but I think we would have had the police to deal with, besides I don't want to be cited for doing magic in front of muggles on my first day of being an overage wizard." Harry said still thinking of the pamphlets he had received that morning.

"Harry, Harry, Harry," George said putting his arm around Harry as if he were his uncle, "when did you get the ministry pamphlets?" He looked as if he were going to start to lecture.

"Uh, this morning, why," but his last word was drowned out by the commotion Fred and George were making.

"Our little Harry is all grown up," George said pretending to wipe his eyes.

"Just like that and their gone," Fred too started to pretend.

"We got the pamphlets as well," George said winking at Harry while Fred pretended to sob on his shoulder. "They sent us three of everything, seemed to think quantity was better than quality, I wonder why."

Harry laughed along with everyone else, and knew that this was going to be an enjoyable drive.


	6. Chapter Five

**Chapter 5**

When Kagome stepped on the plane she thought she knew the English language fairly well, she had taken advanced classes in high school. She had even taught Inuyasha some as well. But when she fell down on her bed in the cheap hotel she found out the hard way she had no idea what the English language was let alone if she could speak it.

_I need a map_ she thought; tomorrow I will get a bus ticket to wherever I am supposed to go. On the plane she felt the aura move to a different location. It was sill moving and Kagome needed a map to tell her where it was going.

When she went downstairs she had a hard time trying to understand what exactly she was being asked of. Finally both the clerk and Kagome gave up and she went back to her room with everything the clerk thought was a map.

Most were city tours of London, a few were about the greatest walks of Scotland, and even one was called the finest breweries since Germany, whatever that meant. Kagome sighed and was about to go back when her hand flipped over the last paper _The United Kingdom at a Glance_. Kagome hopped up and down in glee. Now if she only had something to write with.

After another furiously confusing battle with the clerk Kagome was back in her room five minuets later a large black pen in her hand. (The only way she had got it was because she took it off of the clerk's desk.)

Kagome sat and tracked the aura's movements the rest of the afternoon, she saw that it was moving far north, and then it suddenly stopped. Kagome woke as if she were in a stupor for the last half hour her hand had been as if someone was pulling it with string. There was a large black dot in the upper center of the page. Around the dot Kagome had made no sense. There were drawings and symbols all around the spot. The signs seemed as audience members gathered around a artist. The lines made no sense, they weren't Japanese, but nor were they English, some of the symbols seemed hybrids of both languages, there was almost the word for anger but it had the letter B attached to the side of it.

Kagome was certain when in doubt take a bath. After a while with the steam issuing around her just as it had only a day before (AN time difference) when she had been at home. Kagome decided it was time to go to the bus station and try and get a ticket for northern Britain near Eli.

When she went down to the lobby the desk clerk looked as if he was about to cry at the sight of her.

"All I need is a phone number." She said quite clearly.

"Wha's tha number fer?" He seemed to try and speak as clearly as she did. Kagome understood one of the words he said and that was number so she thought they were on the right track.

"I need to get on a bus and go to Eli." She said and the boy nodded. He then went to the phone book and called a number. The conversation that followed was one of the fastest most confusing Kagome had ever heard.

When the boy hung the phone up she turned to her and said.

"Ya goh a bus fer tomorrah at nine." He said looking pleased with himself. Kagome looked dumbfounded but then said;

"I have a bus for tomorrow at nine?" Both of their faces lit up, the cultural gap bridged. The boy started to say more but Kagome stopped him, maybe the gap had only slightly lessened but it still was there. "Where is the station? Oh and you should write it down." The boy smiled and wrote everything down.

Kagome's trip on the bus was even less eventful than her plain and train ride. When she was dropped off at the station, it wasn't even a station mostly just a slab of concrete off of the main road, there were railroad tracks going along the side of the slab so Kagome guessed this was a stop of all trades. Kagome giggled at her joke and closed her eyes to try and find the aura.

It was easy enough to find, she started walking down a dirt path until she felt the aura as if it were an arm grabbing her. When she opened her eyes she saw nothing at first, then when she turned her head she saw him.

She was standing on the edge of a cemetery. It was a simple place, mostly for the family of the residents in the small town. It had no fence but there was a gardener because the place was well kept. Kagome felt that if she crossed the threshold then she would be transported into a different place, a place where there were two kinds of people, the grievers and the departed. It seemed like both the dead and the living could cross ground in this holy place.

There was a young man standing over a headstone. Kagome could tell he was one of the people who couldn't feel the presence of the spirits all around them. If he had Kagome felt he wouldn't feel as hopeless as he was. He was completely dressed in black, he had a long black shirt on, even though it was hot outside, this man seemed not to notice. Everything about him seemed to be in mourning, his skin was pale and his hair was the deepest of ebony. It was just him standing all alone above the grave, like a tree trying to stand tall when the rain and wind was blowing against it.

After a long time the man turned to look at Kagome, whether he had felt her presence or he had heard her he stopped in his grief to stare at her.

Kagome realizing she had been staring for a long time stopped looking at him and started her usual habit and looked down at her feet. When she looked back up the man was still staring at her. She did something she never did; she looked straight into his eyes.

His eyes were the color of emerald, and Kagome could feel like she could look into his soul if she looked for too long. Feeling like they were doing something taboo they both broke their gaze at the same time.

"Um, I was uh I think I'm lost." Kagome lied; she was used to not telling anyone about her abilities.

"Uh yeah, where do you need to be?" He started walking towards her, and when he got next to her she saw that he was just about the size of Inuyasha, except he seemed much nicer. But then again Kin seemed really nice as well. Kagome was about to back away but then she felt the powerful aura again.

It was so powerful that she almost fell over, the man caught her and asked if she was alright. But the second he touched her she forgot everything and was transported to a different time.

She was standing in a graveyard, not like the one she had just left but one even more sinister, it was a graveyard that would appear in the movies she would scare her little brother with. She saw the young man and she called out to him but he didn't hear her. He was a few years younger but still recognizable as the person he was now. There was a flash of green light and another young man fell to the ground. He had the same color of hair as Kin and his skin was the color of pale birch wood. He fell and the first guy went over to him. After that all went black and Kagome found herself on the ground with the genuine guy knelling over her.

"I asked if you were alright. You don't look so well Miss….." He seemed greatly concerned for her.

"Yeah I'm fine I just saw… Never mind, I can do that a lot, faint I mean. Oh uh Higurashi, my name is Kagome Higurashi. I'm babbling aren't I, I don't mean to Inyu….. Well I don't have to say any more." Kagome began busing herself with her shoelace. The young man became very interested at something in the cemetery.

When he saw Kagome was better he said; "Well Miss Higurashi I think we should get something to eat." Right at that moment Kagome's stomach gave a growl. The man laughed and said "Well you can tell me everything and in payment I will give you the best food you have ever had." At this Kagome's eyebrows shot up a few inches.

"Oh you cook? I wouldn't see you as the whole gourmet chef type, but whatever." Kagome flicked her hand back and forth; an act she knew drove Inuyasha crazy.

He smiled and held his hand out, Kagome was afraid to take it but she thought it might be rude to not accept it so she grabbed his hand and he pulled her up.

There is something every girl knows, and that is when they feel a complete connection with someone, Kagome felt it with this morning fragile young man standing holding her hand. He seemed to think what she was seeing because he blushed and dropped her hand.

"I'm um ah; well my name is Harry, Harry Potter." He felt as flustered as ever. Why did this girl with raven hair make him so disconnected? With one look she could make him forget everything and they had only met a few minuets ago. And why, Merlin's beard did she not react to his name, Harry hated the thought the second it popped into his head, he wasn't some kind of pompous idiot, but why didn't she recognize his name? But then Harry thought of another problem, what would he do when he brought her back to the Weasleys and she sees all of them with their wands out doing magic?

An action happened so suddenly Harry almost fell out of his thoughts. After he registered what had happened he knew brining a muggle into the Weasleys house would be no problem. A great lizard had instantly appeared in the path between them. It was a giant ugly thing, with potion green skin stretched over every inch of its body. Ugly purple splotches covered different areas of its scales. It's eyes were an orange brown, which seemed to glow when its eyes flicked over to Harry. It stuck its tongue out to test the air and it stomped toward Harry.

He almost laughed; Fred and George had been testing out this new spell. Kagome obviously had no idea that this was a fake lizard. Harry saw out of the corner of his eye her closing her eyes and muttering under her breath. The lizard decided Harry didn't seem scared enough so it turned his head at Kagome. It was about to charge when a bow and arrow suddenly appeared in Kagome's hands and she shot an arrow right between the lizard's eyes. Her aim was true and the lizard disappeared the second the arrow hit it. Kagome muttered something else, and the bow disappeared. She looked around her _how in the world am I going to explain this?_


	7. Chapter Six

**Chapter 6**

He woke with a start, he had been lying underground trying to find her. When she had used her miko powers he had finally been able locate the aura surrounding her. His eyes opened and he stared around the dark dampness that surrounded him. It was the first time he really noticed what bounded him. He had been above ground for a while but decided to go below when he was being distracted too many times. People asking him for ridiculous things, he was getting sick of it. He would have to tell them all off in his search to find her. There was no use just sitting, she could be on the move and he would never find her again. And when he reached her, his mouth twitched into a small smirk, well there was time to think about it later.

"How did you do that?" Harry was at a loss of word for a while and his mouth kept opening and closing like a blowfish, after many trials he was finally able to force the sentence out. (It really didn't sound like that it sounded like "Howdidyoudothat?")

Kagome meekly stared down at her shoes, _I have to break that habit_, she thought. When Harry said his jumble of words she looked at him in question.

"I mean how did you do that without a wand?" Harry said much slower, he had so many questions for this girl, this mystery girl who showed up out of nowhere and then does a perfect summoning spell yet she had no wand and the objects appeared out of thin air. It was at times like this when Harry wished Hermione was there.

It was Kagome's turn to look like a blow fish as she was trying to comprehend what she just heard. Was this guy serious? He really meant there was such a thing as wands to wave about and you can get whatever you want? Kagome thought the whole thing selfish, using little sticks for their own personal….. She stopped in her silent rant, remembering that Kin had a small stick and he was waving it about.

Harry watched her face turn from a normal calm, to a pink flush to a pale sea green. Deciding not to press her Harry said something about following him and he gently took one of her bags and with his other hand he took hers.

She seemed to wake and looked at their intertwined fingers. She gave a soft smile and looked so fragile that Harry wondered if a strong wind came would she be blown away. After a few minutes of silence Harry wondered why he had offered to take her bag, it was so heavy and he decided a little more magic couldn't hurt since they were both wizards of some sort.

After he pulled out his wand and said a simple spell to levitate her bags, he looked over at her expecting praise. She showed no reaction whatsoever, her body was there in the present walking beside him, and her hand was inside his but her spirit was far away. She looked as if she was floating from thought to thought as a frog hops from pad to pad.

Before long they rounded the bend to find a large house welcoming them. Even Kagome stared out of her daze at the house. When Harry had arrived a few days before he had noticed there were extra rooms added on which made the house look even more lopsided. The house itself was three or four stories high, but when the Weaslys wanted to add on instead of adding the rooms in sensible places like on the ground floor, the rooms were heaped on as if the ground was a pizza and the toppings were just thrown on in random places. Overall the house looked like it was about to fall over, except for the fact there were many spells of different kinds holding the beams in place.

When they neared the house Harry could see the twins rushing towards them. He quickly turned to Kagome and said; "Sorry in advance."

"Harry! Did you like it?" Fred said rushing up to them.

"Yes tell us did it scare you? We tried it on Ginny but she didn't believe it for a second. Said something about never trusting us, wonder where she got that idea." George said with a confused air.

"Oh! Hello! And who are you? I'm Fred by the way, the better looking one." Fred said finally spotting Kagome. Harry spotting George glancing between Kagome and him and then realizing they were still holding hands, Harry dropped Kagome's hand as if it were nothing more than putting down the newspaper.

"This is Kagome, she said she had some business in the area and lost her way." Both Fred and George looked at Harry.

"Oh, well it is lovely to meet you Kaah-gomeee." Said one of the twins when he recovered from his surprise, Kagome bowed to both twins and when she looked back at them she could tell all three were trying to hold in their laughter.

"What?" She looked at all three of them as their eyes twinkled like stars.

"Well, Harry my boy, why did not tell us we had a proper lady in our midst? If you had I would have been on my best of manners." George said throwing himself in to the character of a lord.

"I told you sorry in advance." Harry said as they started walking toward the house with the twins following them asking Kagome if she liked tea and crumpets.

Kagome giggled, this was exactly what she needed right now, two guys who reminded her of Miroku except they didn't seem so lecherous.

When they got into the house, Kagome knew instantly she was at a home away from home. The house seemed to hug her, if that were possible. It said to her she would be accepted whoever she was. The auras were so powerfully pure Kagome felt any demon would have the evil expunged out of them after only a few minutes in this house. It was a mess of things; Kagome didn't even know where to look because everything was screaming for her attention.

She heard a voice calling from somewhere inside the house.

"Harry is that you? Did you find the place alright? Are you …" A woman had walked through the door, Kagome guessed she was either cleaning or cooking, because parts of her hair were sticking to the sweat on her neck and face. Kagome instantly saw her mother gazing back at her through mounds of red curly hair. This woman had the same kind of eyes that Kagome's mother had, emerald green, though this woman's eyes clashed terribly with her hair but they seemed to be the perfect match for her face. Some people had parts of their face that made you wonder which side of the family they got the trait from, but this woman seemed to fit her face beautifully.

"Oh hello, are you one of _Fleur's_ relatives?" She said the name with so much disdain, Kagome was taken aback. How could someone with such a kind face even be harsh with anyone?

"No, I uh got lost in the woods and Harry offered to let me come back here." She gave a half smile and the woman smiled back, but she even though she was able to hide her surprise better than the twins, she still couldn't hide it well enough.

"Why don't you wait here; Harry, can I have a word with you? Ah good Ronald will you stay with Miss..?" She looked back at Kagome who was staring at yet another tall redhead who came down the stairs.

"Sorry, Kagome, my name is Kagome Higurashi." Kagome thought of bowing again but then when she thought of the reaction she had gotten from the other boys she thought better of it.

As the older woman and Harry were walking away, one of the twins said they would follow and the other grabbed the newest redheads hand and waved it back and forth to Kagome.

"Now be nice to Kagome, _Ronald_ she is a lady." He said, Kagome still could not tell if it was Fred or his twin. The twin winked at Kagome and followed his brother into the kitchen.

Ronald threw a half smile at Kagome and asked her the strangest question she had ever heard.

"Ever been degnoming?"


	8. Chapter Seven

**Chapter 7**

When the entire entourage reached the kitchen Mrs. Weasly went to the stove and began to start stirring whatever she had been cooking, Harry personally thought she didn't need to use such force, but then again he didn't know how to cook.

Mrs. Weasly didn't in fact need to use so much force but she was frustrated at Harry for bringing a muggle into their home.

"So who is she?" Was all that was said, everyone was grateful that it was said, the tension of watching Mrs. Weasly stir was even more than the tension Harry had left on Privet Drive.

"I don't know exactly, she showed up when I was a the …well, when I was out." Harry shill had a hard time accepting the reason he was in a cemetery. "Why what's wrong?"

"Harry, we have spells on this place, they make muggles think they have forgotten something and they go back, this girl probably thought she needed to keep going on." George said, rubbing his head. He looked unlike himself at all, this seemed like a very important thing bringing a muggle in and Harry couldn't see why.

"But, she did magic. At least I think she did." All three of the Weaslys looked at Harry, Fred's elbow even fell off of the corner of the table. Harry suddenly got very nervous with everyone looking at him as if he were on stage or he was about to confess a crime. "Well I mean, she did a pretty good summoning spell, and she said she saw something when we uh, first shook uh hands." Harry knew that if he told Fred and George that the first thing that happened was a girl was watching him and then fell into his arms.

Fred and his mother seemed to accept this but George's eyebrows went up to his forehead. But he said nothing and Harry was grateful. At that moment Hermione came down the stairs with Ginny behind her.

"Why does everyone look so serious?" Hermione was the first to speak after they girls arrival.

"Harry brought a girl here." Fred said not think of the consequences. When he realized what he had said he turned to pale green and turned toward his sister. Harry was afraid to look over at the girls but what happened next surprised him so much he was positive if he had been paying more attention he would have fallen off his chair.

"Oh, great what's her name?" Ginny said making everyone look up in surprise. Fred looked like he could have blown up a balloon from the sigh he let out and it was George's turn to follow his twins suit and his elbow fell off with a thunk.

Ginny looked from face to face waiting for an answer.

Mrs. Weasly seeing not of the tension said "It's Higurashi or something." She rounded on Harry. "What do you mean you think she did magic?"

"Well she did a fair summoning spell when Fred and George's lizard attacked us, and then—" Harry never finished his thought because Mrs. Weasly had completely forgotten about him.

"YOU DID WHAT? ON THE WAY BACK FROM THE CEMETARY YOU PLAY A CREUEL JOKE ON HARRY THAT SCARED HIM OUT OF HIS WITS!" Mrs. Weasly's face had gone a color that clashed terribly with her hair.

"I wasn't scared out of my wits! Honestly Mrs. Weasly." Harry rose in his defense. He didn't want anyone thinking he was scared out of his wits, especially the girl who was sitting in the next room.

"Oh, I know dear," Mrs. Weasly said looking kindly at him, "BUT ITS THOSE TWO WHO I'M MAD AT!" Mrs. Weasly chased the twins out of the room still holding her wooden stirring spoon leaving it with Harry, Hermione and Ginny.

"So Harry what did you mean about her summoning spell?" Asked Hermione, Harry could tell she had been dying to ask for a while but didn't want to break the silence between Ginny and Harry.

"Oh, she summoned a bow and arrow out of thin air, and I didn't see a wand." Harry shrugged his shoulders and looked at his friend, her face had changed dramatically.

"You mean to tell me she conjured up something out of thin air and without a wand?" She said getting more and more excited, "And you're absolutely sure it was a bow and arrow?" After Harry nodded Hermione started speaking again, yet this time her voice had more of a thrill to it. "Her name is Higurashi? Is she English?"

"No, she's from Japan." Harry had started to back away from the girl who was closing in on him.

"I want to meet her." Hermione nodded like she had made everyone's mind up and then turned to him expectantly. But before Harry could answer a dreamy girl walked into the room.

"Who are you dying to meet?" The girl who floated in was more beautiful than Harry had ever seen. She had long flowing blond hair, which always seemed to make Harry think of waving silk and a face the perfect shape of an oval. That was as far as Harry always got when he saw Fleur. Half-Veela she always was able to make any man do whatever she wanted.

"Oh just a new girl who is coming to stay with us." Ginny said, all the women in the house loathed Fleur just as much as the men loved her. If Harry had been fully conscious he would have been able to see that both Hermione and Ginny were taking great delight in tormenting Fleur.

"What eez thiz new girl?" Fleur said looking perturbed. She hated having any kind of attention thrown at another girl other than herself.

"Don't you mean where eez thiz new girl? If you zay what then we will wonder if you think zhe izn't human." Said Hermione faking a French accent, and at that moment Ron and Kagome walked into the kitchen, there had been many gnomes trying to creep back into the garden and their faces were slightly flushed.

Instantly Ron fell into the same daze Harry had gone into and Kagome looked over at the new women in the house.

"Oh Hello! My name is Kagome Higurashi." She said bowing before she could stop herself. Instead of giggling the three girls all had a different reaction. The blond wore a look of smug superiority, the brown haired bowed back to her and the red head looked surprised.

Kagome decided she didn't like the blond very much, but she couldn't tell how she felt about the other two. At least they didn't burst out laughing like the twins and Harry. When Kagome thought of Harry she looked around and saw him standing with an odd expression on his face. He looked like Inuyasha when he first discovered ramen, or Miroku when he saw a pretty girl walk by. Then she looked over at Ron and saw he was wearing the same expression, he even had a small amount of drool on the edge of his lip.

"Oh well I must go and find Bill, goodbye Kageme." The blond sauntered out her nose in the air.

When the girl was out of earshot Kagome watched as both girls started ranting about the blond. They both had forgotten Kagome because the brown haired girl went over and started slapping the boys on their heads.

"Honestly, don't either of you know what self control is?" She said as she hit them, both seemed as if they had woken from a deep sleep.

"You know how she gets," Ron said as he wiped the drool from his face. Harry followed suit, and was grateful he hadn't drooled. When he lowered his hand he saw Kagome looking at him, his face went the color of scarlet and he felt as if someone had set him on fire. _She saw me! Why did she have to see me when Fleur was in the room?_

Kagome watched as Harry's face went from a normal calm to a fierce red, and she started giggling. By the time she burst into a full laugh the others had finally taken notice of her again. They all watched her as she grabbed her stomach and laughed until tears ran from her eyes.

"Oh, you looked just like him." She said between giggles. When she had finally calmed herself down she saw the twins and Mrs. Weasly had returned to the kitchen and they all were watching her. She smiled meekly and saw one of the twins wink at her. _It was good to laugh like that, I haven't laughed so hard since I got back._

During the next few days Kagome seemed to fit right into the Weasly family. She soon found out that Harry, the brown haired girl, whose name was Hermione, and the blond, whose name was Fleur were not members of the family but Harry and Hermione were friends of Ron and Fleur was marrying Ron's older brother Bill. But the way she acted around the other guys in the house Kagome was surprised when Hermione told her Fleur was engaged.

Kagome also learned she found a wonderful friend in Harry. They both seemed to have an unspeakable connection together. They spent almost the entire day together, Harry teaching her all about the magic world and Kagome teaching Harry her culture and language.

After three days had gone by Hermione went to Kagome and asked if she would like to go on a picnic.

"We haven't had a real chance to talk and Harry, Ron and I wanted to get your opinion on a few things." Hermione seemed like she really wanted to get to know Kagome and Kagome felt she had no choice in saying yes. Hermione smiled and left but stopped when she was next to Kagome and whispered: "Don't tell Fleur." Kagome promised and watched Hermione walk away towards one of the twins and lean over to whisper something to him. He smiled and nodded and handed her a small package.

Kagome decided to think nothing of it and went upstairs to her room. She sat down and closed her eyes, and she started to concentrate her power into finding Naraku. He was gaining power and he had defiantly unleashed his demons. Kagome was unsure how many there were at that moment but she could tell they were growing. Kagome opened her eyes and went to the window. She looked down to see Ron, Harry and the twins holding broomsticks and walking away to a clearing. Kagome nodded and knew she had to get Harry's help soon or she would have to leave by herself. She sighed knowing she would have to confront him today, because tomorrow they would be busy with the wedding.

A few hours later Kagome immerged from her room only to find the house in almost complete silence. She went down to the kitchen to see both Mrs. Weasly and Fleur glaring at each other over a mixing bowl. Both seemed beyond words and they had no choice but to throw scowls at the other like knives. Kagome edged around the pair and went out the back door.

When she was in the blazing sunlight the air seemed to clear all of the angered silence in the kitchen, Kagome looked around to try and find her friends. She searched the gentle rolling hills and saw someone in the distance waving at her; Kagome recognized it to be Hermione and followed.

By the time she reached the clearing Hermione was standing Kagome was out of breath and holding her side. _I really need to get back into shape if I am going to run after demons _she thought. The three had already set up a small area, but there was something different from the way Kagome had picnicked before. There was a table and chairs with a full place setting. Kagome's eyes widened and Hermione said something about forgetting and waved her stick. Instantly the table changed to a short Japanese table with pillows around the perimeter for them to sit on.

Before they got a chance to sit something exploded over their heads, another giant animal like the lizard emerged from the smoke. This time it was a giant boar; Kagome hesitated but then decided before it started a rampage to finish it off. She said the words Miroku was so faithful in teaching her and her bow was at her side an arrow notched at its center. She quickly took aim and fired, this time the arrow shone a bright blue and it hit the boar between its eyes. Again like the lizard Kagome wondered why it didn't react as other demons did when she hit them. The boar instantly disappeared and she quickly did the same with her bow.

When she looked at the faces who were all staring at her she realized she had done it again, _how am I going to explain this again?_


	9. Chapter Eight

**Chapter 8**

She had done it again; he smiled and knew he would soon be able to have her. His smile widened and he picked up his pace.

"I knew it." Hermione was the first to speak, she didn't look like the boys who looked surprised at what Kagome had done. "Why didn't you say you were a miko?"

Kagome's face went white, even she felt the color fade from her face, and how could this girl know what a miko was? Kagome tried looking at her feet but they brought no comfort to her, she looked at her hands which were shaking and finally she looked into Hermione's eyes. The other girl, however, wore no expression of suspicion but instead of comfort, and Kagome felt she could tell her anything.

"It was years and years ago when I found out I was a miko. About 500 years to be precise." Kagome still stared straight into Hermione's eyes. They both realized it would be a long time before the entire story was finished. All of them walked over to the table and sat down. Hermione prompted Kagome to start, and after hesitating Kagome jumped into her story as she would dive into a pool. The relief of finally being able to tell someone her story was more precious than gold.

"When I was fifteen I started to explore the shrine I lived in. We had just moved in with my grandfather because my father had passed away." Kagome looked at her hands and Harry finally realized the connection he had with this raven haired girl, they had both lost someone very close. "I had always wanted to go into one small building on the edge of the shrine but my grandfather told me it was a very holy place. I went there when everyone was away for the day and all I found was an old well sitting in the center. It was so dusty and dreary in there I almost left but something kept drawing me in. I went to sit on the side of the well and, I know this sounds stupid, but I saw something at the bottom and I kind of fell in. I though I would stop falling but I never did, I ended up on the other side in a different time. I started walking and walking and then I came upon this old tree….." They listened to her for hours, Kagome felt a strange sensation, she had never been able to tell anyone about the feudal era before without the fear of them sending her to a mental hospital. Harry was also feeling a different sensation, and that was jealousy. Every time Kagome spoke of this Inuyasha character and their adventures together, he also felt it whenever she said the name Koga and Miroku. Harry internally shook himself and went back to listening to Kagome's story.

"The Shikon No Tama had only one piece left," Kagome said close to four hours after her tale had started. "We had finally caught up with Naraku I knew he had the last piece, we fought and somehow he was destroyed. To this day I still don't really know what happened, I was hit on the head and I remember seeing Naraku destroyed and then everything went black. I woke up the next morning in my bed and my family had no idea what I was talking about when I mentioned the well and Inuyasha." Kagome sighed and looked up at the staring faces all waiting for something more. "I know you want it to be a happy ending but unfortunately you know I end up here and not in the Feudal Era." She gave a small smile and Harry smiled back, glad the bouts of jealousy were over.

"But, you never checked the well? You never tried to go back?" Hermione burst out, she seemed unable to allow the story to end there. Kagome looked sheepishly over at her.

"Yeah, I did go back but the building housing the well but it was completely gone, I asked my grandfather what had happened to it and he said he had no idea what I was talking about." She shrugged and looked back at Hermione, "I know, but that was all I could do, I can't time travel with my powers so I take comfort in the thought all of my friends lived a long happy life and died peacefully." Kagome swallowed hard, that was the most difficult part to accept.

Feeling Kagome's change in character Harry proposed they eat, the afternoon sun had been slowly dropping in the sky but they all agreed they could be gone for another hour. Hermione waved her wand at the plates and a full meal appeared. Harry was always surprised when Hermione did magic, she made it look effortless. He would never say it out loud but he was happy both Hermione and Ron had agreed to help him look for the remaining Horcruxs. He had no idea where Kagome fit in but he thought about asking her to come with, after all her fighting Harry knew Kagome would be a great help. Harry decided to talk to her alone after they were done eating.

After they had eaten their fill of Hermione's food Harry tried with all his might to get Kagome's attention. It wasn't hard as she was trying to do the same thing. When they had finally made eye contact the message was clear between them. Kagome got up and walked to the edge of the woods and looked back. Harry threw a grin at Ron, who muttered something about not fudging up this time and Harry left.

Hermione raised her eyebrows but decided not to press the matter, she knew Harry would tell Ron everything and she could press Ron later.

When Harry caught up with Kagome she was standing with her back to him in a small clearing. He grinned and hid behind a tree waiting to scare her. For the half second that he looked down at his feet to make sure he wouldn't step on any branches he let his guard down. When he looked up there was an arrow flying straight for his face. Harry had no time to react the arrow was moving too fast so he couldn't get to his wand. All he could do was close his eyes and wait. The second he closed his eyes raven hair swept through his thoughts.

The arrow hit home, Harry opened one eye and peaked out. There was a wooden arrow that looked like it was a thousand years old clutching his shirt at the shoulder pinning him to the tree behind him.

"I'll give you a piece of friendly advice, _never_ sneak up on a miko." Kagome's smiling face poked around the tree in front of Harry. She muttered the same phrase for the third time and the arrow and bow she was holding vanished. Harry felt for his wand and fixed the hole the arrow had left.

"No more joking, I have to talk to you." He said trying to be serious even thought she kept smiling like that. Harry felt his stomach flip every time she smiled.

"Yeah, I have to talk too." Kagome said and followed Harry to the tiny clearing she was standing in. Harry pulled out his wand but was stopped by Kagome, who sat down in the overgrown grass. Harry followed suit and in spite of himself he loved the way the long blades flew in front of Kagome's face. He wished he could be those grains gently caressing the sides of her cheeks. He was broken from his stupor when she started talking. It made the entire area come alive. The sun had long ago dropped below the horizon, now they only had the moon for light.

"You know I can feel auras." Her voice was so musical Harry had trouble trying to listen to what she was saying instead of just listening to her voice. "The reason I came here to Britain was because I was following two auras." Kagome couldn't look at the young man sitting across from her, his eyes were so green they seemed to put the grass around them to shame. "They were opposite, one pure, the other evil. I came to find the pure one because I already knew the other very well." Kagome's hand strayed to the base of her neck fingering the scar she had received in the final battle. She knew she had to say what she dreaded.

"Four days ago I was following the pure aura and I was walking down a dirt road. I stopped by the side of a small cemetery and it was there I discovered the aura." Harry looked up in surprise, there was no way she could mean him. He was….. there was still no way she meant him.

Kagome watched him intently, as realization entered in on his face she felt she could continue.

"I don't really know how to ask this but I will just have to be blunt, I would like you to help me fight Naraku. I have to leave either way and I could really use your help." She look into his eyes, they were staring at the grass going back and forth with no care in the world. "Of course if you say no, there are no hard feelings, we only met four days ago. But I still have to leave no matter what."

After Harry had done it he had no idea why he did do it. He had no clue what led to his decision but the thought of her leaving without him figuring out what he felt for her made Harry feel that he had to do something rash.

"I still have to leave no matter what. Don't feel bad if –" Kagome's lips stopped moving because someone else's lips were forcing them to be still. She breathed in and closed her eyes. They sat there for a few moments. Neither of them moved until Kagome raised her hands up to Harry's face. The instant her fingers made contact Harry pulled away.

"Sorry." He muttered blushing, he couldn't look at her, he was so embarrassed at what he had done. She probably hated him now for kissing her.

Harry was almost able to rise up from his kneeling position at her side when something stopped him. She was kissing him back, this time he wrapped his hands in her hair.

Neither one of them knew who ended the kiss first but when the pulled apart Kagome had no idea what they were talking about. The same confusion was worn on Harry's face as well.

"Now, what were we talking about?"

A note from your author: I know this chapter is full of the mushy stuff, but I promise the next chapters will be great! The dreaded wedding chapter is next! I would also like to rant before anyone says it, because if I was reading this I would say it too: Harry has not forgotten Ginny, I wrote this part of the story completely forgetting that Harry and Ginny do get together in the sixth book, I think that she, Ginny, believes that what she had with Harry was great but the fact that he is leaving and this girl could help him with whatever he is going through is good. Ginny is very mature for her age and I really hope that this part of the story makes sense because I really am worried that it doesn't follow with the book story plot. Oh and one more thing, while I am on this rant, I don't want you to think Harry is a heartless guy who doesn't think about his ex-girlfriend or the fact that Dumbledore is dead, but that he is a person who has just lost about everything in his life and now has found a new friend he can confide everything in. And yes he was visiting Cedric's grave. Thank you and I promise that my notes won't usually be this long.


	10. Chapter Nine

**Chapter 9 **

Even though Ron tried everything to get Harry to tell him what happened Harry refused to crack. All Ron got out of him was "A lot happened."

The night before, after Harry and Kagome successfully remembered what they were talking about they decided what they were going to do (A.N. There was more snogging but I think one scene is enough). They both agreed no to tell Ron and Hermione until after the wedding. So until then Ron was stuck.

Hermione did have a little more luck. Other than "a lot happened" she also got "we went walking" (A.N. when you have friends like that who needs enemies?)

The wedding when off with only two minor hitches. The first actually happened before the wedding in the kitchen. Kagome had no idea what to wear to a wizard wedding. She decided to wear the nicest thing she had which happened to be a black skirt that ended half an inch above her knees and a white see-through top with a red tank top underneath. After looking in the mirror Kagome thought she looked very good. When she left her room to find Hermione or someone she ran into the bride. Trying to turn as fast as she could before Fleur noticed Kagome almost made it to the door.

"_You!_" Fleur looked scandalized at what Kagome was wearing "Zes ezn't a coztume party. You are not going outzide looking like a tramp." She pointed a threatening finger at Kagome. Kagome herself was about to retort when Hermione, Mrs. Weasly, and Ginny, came down the stairs. "Madame Weazly!" Fleur announced still pointing a finger at Kagome, "Tell her zhe cannot go to _my_ wedding az ze town whore." Kagome's face reddened, she had had about enough of Flem, as they had appropriately named her.

"I don't know _Fleur_" Hermione said, before Kagome could open her mouth. "That," she said as she shortened Kagome's skirt a little with her wand "is closer to what you would call a tramp."

Fleur looked as if she was going to explode but before she could say anything the girls had walked outside. As soon they were out of earshot all three broke into bales of laughter (Mrs. Weasly stayed behind).

"I can put it back if you like," Hermione said raising her wand. But at that moment Kagome saw Harry talking to someone at the other end of the lawn and she stopped Hermione. The other girl smirked knowingly and let it drop. Ginny thinking it was about getting Fleur even more mad thought nothing of it.

The second interruption didn't come until the wedding was almost finished.

All in all Kagome thought it was a beautiful wedding. White roses filled the lawn and the guests enjoyed being slightly shaded by giant lace sheets that flowed lazily over their heads. Kagome couldn't stop glancing over in Harry's direction. Harry had noticed Kagome's skirt and the improvements Hermione had made to it before the ceremony and he as well as Kagome couldn't stop looking in her area.

Harry knowing the twins thought they would try something but when he caught sight of them he know by their sullen faces they would do no such thing. Harry also noticed Charlie Weasly was sitting right behind Fred and George and Harry had an odd feeling Charlie's wand was sticking into the twins back.

Just as Harry was about to let out a sigh as the couple were saying their vows, thinking everything was going to go off without a hitch, there was a yell that came from the back of the audience.

"You, wench, did you know how hard it was to find you?" A man in a red suit came running up the center aisle making his way for the bride. An intake of breath stopped the entire wedding party to just stare as this man went for Fleur, but instead of going straight he stopped at the third row back. As he held his hand out for Kagome and everyone started to murmur. "What are you waiting for? Let's go." He stuck his hand right under Kagome's chin. Harry felt a surge of anger at this man's brazenness and his treatment of Kagome.

But what surprised Harry and probably everyone else was when Kagome took the man's hand and jumped on his back. The man took a giant leap and was gone. Everyone was still buzzing about his exit throughout the rest of the ceremony, the after party and even as they were leaving. Fleur was in a mess, she cried on Bill's shoulder the rest of the night, she seemed to think that because Kagome stole the light in her wedding her marriage was now doomed because no one was paying attention to her.

If Fleur was bad, Harry was even worse, both Ron and Hermione tried to help him in saying that they were sure she would be back but Harry could tell they both didn't believe it either. The rest of the evening Harry sat and wondered who the young man was. He had long flowing hair, _what color was it_ a small voice prompted him.

"That was Inuyasha! It must have been." Harry said so abruptly Hermione and Ron almost fell off their chairs. Harry's stomach seemed to sink lower, if it was Inuyasha then there was no reason for Kagome to stay, aura or no aura. Inuyasha was three times as strong as any wizard so Kagome had no need for Harry.

Harry decided to take an early night and left to go to the house. As he was making his way up he saw to identical figures sneaking in the darkness. Not wanting to talk to anyone Harry darted behind a tree. The twins still seemed to me making straight for him so he went further back into the small forest.

"Harry?" He heard a voice behind him. He whipped around to find Ginny with a boy he had never seen before. He turned around again and started making his way out of the woods; he would rather deal with of the twins than with Ginny at this moment. He could have sworn he heard "She'll come back." But he doubted it.

When he finally had gotten out of the woods he found he was on the wrong side of the house. He had somehow circled the perimeter of the small forest and he still had to go back through the party raging below him. Not wanting to go forward and not wanting to go back Harry went off to the side to another area of trees. He thought he would just sit on the edge of the forest and wait until he saw Ginny leave and then go back the way he came.

As Harry sat it was inventible he would start to think. It was at that moment he wished he had his godfather with him. Sirius was always able to give him advice even though he was on the run as an ex convict. Harry didn't know how long he was sitting there or at what moment when he started to cry. It wasn't loud, it was actually the worst kind of tears imaginable. They were silent and burning hot, and like the tide they came in waves but they wouldn't stop for the world. It was then when he began to think about all of the deaths that had surrounded him in the past years.

A song was carried by the wind to him from the wedding down below; Harry listened to a few bits of stolen music before the entire party ended.

"_Now it's closing time, the music's fading out, Last call for drinks, I'll have another stout. Well I turn around to look at you, you're no where to be found, I search the place for your lost face, I guess I'll have another round, well I think that I just fell in love with you._"

It wasn't until the noise of the party had completely die down did Harry hear the voices behind him. They were hushed but Harry could tell one was trying their voice down but the other didn't seem to care.

"Why did you have to come right in the middle of everything and drag me away?" Said the first voice, it was defiantly female, and she was trying to stay as calm as possible.

"I don't know why you're so mad, bitch. I should be angry at you." The second retorted, Harry thought he recognized it, but he just couldn't remember.

"Why should you be angry with me?" The girl's voice had no trouble staying quiet, it had gone almost to a whisper it was so angry.

"Well, uh," the man's voice seemed to lose some of its nerve. "You were with someone; I can smell the stench all over you. You reek of him." The voice seemed to lose all of its power at the end as if its owner was being stared down so badly he was being deflated like a balloon.

"I can't believe you, you were gone for five hundred years and that is the first thing that you say to me!" Harry finally recognized the voice and was on his feet, wiping his face, and running towards it.

Inuyasha had long heard someone coming and when he smelled the scent of this new person he instantly flexed his fingers. This scent, this one coming near was the one Kagome he been with, this was an enemy.

When Harry got to the clearing, where he and Kagome had been the night before, he saw Kagome and the being Inuyasha up close for the first time. Still in the red baggy suit the young man looked more like an old man from behind. His hair was waist length and silver white and small dog ears poked out of the tufts of hair on the top of his head. Harry caught sight of the tensed fingers with half inch claws flexed ready to strike. He gulped and made a mental note never to try and cross Inuyasha.

When Harry saw Kagome he went to her. The only thing in the way was the Hanyo standing between them. He smirked openly at Harry, and Harry felt the familiar waves of jealousy.

"Harry! How did you find us?" Kagome threw a glare over at Inuyasha who was still standing between them. She tried to get around him but he wouldn't move, Kagome got more and more frustrated until she remembered. "Sit boy!" could be heard across the clearing, Inuyasha's grinning face cell flat into the soft ground below.

Harry was amazed at Kagome; she leapt lightly over Inuyasha and went to hug Harry. He breathed in deeply and it was his turn to smirk and the body still lying on the ground. Inuyasha lifted his head to see Kagome hugging this man and the man smirking at him, Inuyasha was afraid Kagome would sit him again so he just lifted his middle finger at the man.

"Sorry about all the confusion from today." She whispered into his ear, as they parted Harry had a sinking feeling this would be the last time they would be close now that Inuyasha was there.

The being itself had now risen to its feet and tried to get between Harry and Kagome again; when they parted he got his wish and stood firmly and very close to her side.

"So now what happens to our plan?" Harry was finally able to ask the question that had been plaguing him for a while. Inuyasha looked quizzically between the two of them and Kagome looked as if the answer were perfectly clear.

"We'll still go on Inuyasha will just help us, of course." Inuyasha stopped looking dumb and finally woke up.

"You're not volunteering me for anything bitch. I won't have any part of this stupid plan." He folded his arms across his chest and sat squarely down on the grass looking like a ridiculous boulder.

"Oh yes, you will." Kagome said with such finality that Harry wondered how Inuyasha still looked somewhat calm.

"Fine," Inuyasha said, sounding like he wasn't fine at all, "Fine, what is this stupid plan anyway?"


	11. Chapter Ten

**Chapter 10**

He lowered his hand and tried to comprehend what had just happened. Somehow the Hanyou had woken from his slumber. Actually he knew exactly how Inuyasha had been revived. His idiot servant had been to rash and thought it would look good if he was able to get the jewel even though his specific instructions were not to harm the girl.

The man rubbed his eyes, the Hanyou would cause no problem if he didn't discover how and why he had been put into a comatose for five hundred years. It was defiantly a problem if anything was exposed. The man looked very young but like Inuyasha he was anything but. Combined he was almost six hundred years old. He didn't show it however as he walked down the hall to the second door to the left. His powerful strides making hollow thumps on the ground. His other foolish servants tried to follow him but finally had enough sense to stay away.

A man lay curled in the corner of the room. It was dark and damp in there, and even if there were a light it would be almost impossible to recognize him. Hair that was once thick and wavy was now matted and filthy. Eyes that were once gold had now lost all sparkle. When another man entered he knew that it was his master, and he knew he should turn and greet him but he had neither the strength nor the will.

"I'm going to ask you again why you felt the need to disobey my orders." The intruder on the prisoner's peaceful abode said. He didn't even go past the threshold. The master stood there for what seemed like an eternity until he spoke again.

"You know, I don't like being ignored. I like being answered." As the man spoke he started walking closer and closer to the prisoner's body. "Am I being ignored?" He whispered into the man's ear. It was a deathly whisper. Ever since his transformation the master had been worse than ever.

"No." Even the prisoner's voice had changed; it was once light but now had deflated.

"Good. Then tell me what you know. Oh and don't lie, I know when you are lying." The master conjured a chair up for himself and sat on it. The prisoner used all of his strength to get up on the dirty mat that he called a bed.

"I went to the girl's house and did exactly what you told me to do." His words were simple but the effect they had on the master was tragic, his face his nose flared out and his always pale complexion flushed. This was exactly what the prisoner had been telling him since he had come back to the mansion.

"But I told you to go to her house and but to never touch or harm her. I told you not to lie to me." The master flexed his fingers and the prisoner fell to the floor in silent pain.

"But he told me, y-y-y-you t-t-told me w-what to do." The man said between bursts of pain. The master stopped what he was doing.

"What did you say?" The master was one of those that when he got mad he would become deadly quiet everyone around him would try with all their strength to try and fix whatever was making him angry.

"He told me to do it, he said you would be very angry with me if I told you what he said, and I think he put a potion in my drink." The servant was grasping at straws, anything just to be back in the master's favor.

The master stood and left without saying or hearing anything the prisoner was trying to say. He went straight down to where he knew his servant was. The house he was walking in seemed to get darker as he descended, maybe it was because it was an old house and there were few windows, or the fact that the master's anger was so great he was pushing any kind of light out.

When he arrived at his destination there were only three of his servants there. He stood above a hook nosed, grease haired man, and didn't wait until the conversation was over but simply ended it.

"Severus we need to talk."


	12. Chapter Eleven

**A note from your author: **I haven't done this in a while so I don't own Harry Potter and Inuyasha, but if I did they would be doing everything bent upon my will. Thanks to all who have reviewed, and I honestly can't remember when the last time it was since I updated so that doesn't really matter, I am going to get on with it before they start playing that stupid music and try and get me off stage.

**Chapter 11**

"You did what?!" Ron and Hermione said in almost perfect unison. They both stared bug-eyed at Harry, Ron was about to give a thumbs up to Harry when Hermione said:

"This journey is going to be awkward." She looked directly into Harry's eyes as if he was going to deliberately make it worse. She then went back to pacing Ron's room.

"This Inuyasha character," Ron said, even hearing that name Harry felt a small amount of the green feeling. "Does he really want to go with us? I mean can't we just ditch him somewhere?" Harry loved the idea but he knew it wouldn't be possible, and Hermione seemed to know it too. She called him an idiot and they both started yelling at each other.

"Do they always fight that often?" a voice whispered in Harry's ear.

"More than you would think." He looked over at the owner of the voice, and was surprised to see Kagome smiling at him. "Is there somewhere where we can talk? Alone." She said looking at him, Harry noticed for the first time Inuyasha wasn't with her.

"Where's—" Kagome cut him off.

"Let's just go." She said using the same tone with Harry as she had with Inuyasha.

"Oh yeah, follow me." Harry knew a few ways out of the house but they all went down and out, but Harry did know one that led up to the roof. When they were situated on a porch that seemed to be placed there and then forgotten, Kagome started to speak.

"Harry about last night," Harry looked up eagerly, _was she going to say she liked it, was she going to say she wanted more?_ "I think now that everything will take off we probably shouldn't do it again." (A.N. kissing nothing else! Perverts.)

Harry didn't know what to think. He was just figuring out what he was feeling for Kagome and now she was asking him to stay away.

"No," he said, "I will respect your wishes and not kiss you, but don't ask me to stop feeling something for you. I haven't quite worked out exactly what I feel yet but, please don't ask me to stop."

Silence followed his speech. The only sound between them was the wind blowing around the house and the house answering back with creaks and groans

"Kagome, please say something." Harry was desperate for something after what seemed like hours. When she looked at him there were tears in her eyes.

"The only way I can start something is if it's with him." She looked at the person across from her; both wore the same expression of a crushing weight that had been added to their souls. "I never meant to pull you along, I just thought he was dead and I would finally be able to move on. But now," she left the sentence hanging there like she was going to leave a ten pound weight hanging. "I have to see if there is something between us still. We have a whole history together, you know? I'm so sorry." Without another word or glance she opened the door and was gone.

Harry sat down and thought. He wondered how many times he had stat and thought that day. As of late he had been thinking a lot, the emptiness being more than he ever felt. More than when Cedric, more than when Sirius died, almost more than when Dumbledore died. Harry looked up at the stars and wondered if the three men were laughing because rather than worry about Voldemort he was concerned about what he feels toward a girl he just met.

How long he spent up there he wasn't sure, but when he went downstairs the entire house was quiet. He sneaked into his bed just as the sun was trying to bring some light a few hours before dawn.

When Ron woke Harry a few hours later, he grilled him about where he had been and why he was gone for so long. When they got downstairs Hermione greeted them the same way Ron had woken up Harry. She was about to ask him even more questions but Harry was saved by the twins entrance.

Both looked very tired and Harry wondered if they got any sleep. As if in answer to his question Fred yawned and George started to put orange juice in his cereal.

"Not a wink of sleep. You'd think they would put some sound proof charms on the walls or something." Fred yawned again. George seemed incapable of words and just looked dully at his ruined cornflakes. "Of course they had to have the squeakiest bed in the whole house. At this point Hermione could no longer hold in her giggles. Her face turned so red Harry and Ron had to excuse her and themselves and the ushered her out the back door.

They wandered up the hill until they heard bickering coming from behind the trees.

"It isn't hot enough bitch; you have to get it warmer!"

"I haven't made this in a while, don't you start yelling at me!"

"Oh, well I'm so sorry I'm trying to help you." Inuyasha's voice was so sarcastic Harry wondered how Inuyasha was able to finish his thought if Kagome was standing over him. And sure enough Harry could hear a deadly voice answer to Inuyasha's annoying tone.

"You think you're helping me? Sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, and ……." Kagome paused, Harry knew she was just waiting for Inuyasha to lift up his head or move slightly. "SIT!"

By this time Harry and the others had reached the place Kagome had now created a new slightly large hole. Hermione started to giggle again, but Ron and Harry were happy to see that she wasn't turning red.

"I can see where that would come in handy." Hermione said to Kagome, and both girls giggled even harder. "I wish I could do that on a moment's notice." She said looking wistful. This made Ron look worried and when he was worried he said stupid things.

After the damage was done Harry was left standing alone with Kagome while Hermione and Ron fought. When Inuyasha make a slight groan behind her, Kagome wondered if she and he fought like them. Then she wondered if Harry ever had anyone to fight with like that, as soon as she finished thinking that she chastised herself, _you turned him down remember,_ said the voice that always seemed to be there at the right moment, _you said you wanted to start something with Inuyasha._ She looked back at the form behind her; he had gotten himself up and was scratching his head. Despite of Harry standing next to her, she was able to forget everything and just get lost thinking about the past with Inuyasha.

She went over to the fire and started to stir the ramen she had been making when the whole fight started.

"Feh, I told you, you needed to let it get hotter." Inuyasha said in a calmer voice. The only thing he knew about last night was when he was watching her window she came out to tell him she would be staying with him. He relished in his victory, but now looking at that skinny, dark haired kid, he knew this thing still had feelings for Kagome. The only chance Inuyasha had against him was to make Kagome think that he, Inuyasha, was the better person.

"So when are we leaving?" Ron was finally able to say after he and Hermione were able to take a break from their fight. Before Ron had said anything there was still a calm air around the characters. But now that their mission had finally been brought up the tranquility had all but disappeared.

"Well I think we need to start right away, Naraku hasn't let out all of the demons yet, there is only a small party of them. But even a small party can be difficult to handle, and we need to find them before any more are released." The rest nodded at Kagome's comments, even though Ron and Hermione didn't really understand the power of demons.

"I ran into a couple when I was trying to find you. It seems like Naraku is just letting out demons even if they aren't on his side." Kagome looked at Inuyasha and he nodded.

"You mean Koga? He released Koga?" Inuyasha nodded again, he didn't want to divulge the information that he had knocked Koga completely out when the damn wolf wouldn't get out of his way. "Did you see any others? Shippo, Sesshomaru? Did you see them?" She seemed desperate for information, but as an idiot Inuyasha didn't see it that way.

"Feh, wouldn't that stupid kid follow me everywhere if I had seen him? And I don't think Naraku would be stupid enough to release Sesshomaru." Inuyasha let out his comments like they were simple things on a grocery list. He didn't see the damage he had done until it was too late.

"Well excuse me if I wanted to know where my family was, and if you had seen your _brother_." She turned her back on him and Inuyasha felt guilty for his airy manner.

"I didn't see anyone else, I might have seen Kagura and Kanna, but it would be obvious that they would be resurrected with him." Inuyasha tried to calm his words and it seemed to work.

"And the Tetsaiga," she looked at his gold eyes, "What about the Tetsaiga?"

"Its fine, I haven't used it yet but if need be, its there." He patted a rusty broken down sword at his side; Harry wondered why he bothered with such a broken thing. He didn't know much about weaponry but he knew no sword was probably better than a rusty sword.

The past conversation was going over Ron, and Hermione's head and Kagome seemed to realize it before she was about to ask Inuyasha another question. When she turned to them, Hermione seemed to understand what was going on but Ron wore a confused look on his face. Kagome seemed to think that it could slide, but she stopped when she almost opened her mouth to ask her question. She took Inuyasha by the hand and led him away from t he crowd. She figured that it would be better to ask him in private.

"What about Kikyo?" Kagome tried to keep her voice sympathetic and it worked. Inuyasha was surprised at her comment but then saw she was concerned about him. He was also grateful she hadn't asked in front of the enemy, the other two he didn't care about, he was also appreciative that he could be candid with Kagome without having that boy watching.

"No, she is defiantly gone; she died along with the others when Naraku was destroyed." His feelings were finally ebbing away for the dead priestess. She would always remain imprinted on his soul, but now she had become more of a watercolor painting, there was still something there but all the details had faded away.

"How did you survive? Didn't everyone … die?" Kagome's feelings were mixed, she was glad she had the hanyo standing next to her but she was so angry at herself, she hated the fact that she forgot the final moments with her friends. She hated that she had no idea what had happened to them, but the thing she hated the most of all, was the fact that she was grasping at air to try and hear anything about them.

Inuyasha took a long time to respond, he was having a hard time explaining it as well.

"I don't know, after he was gone we went over to you, you had been hit on the head and there was a large bruise growing across your face. You, you …" he still had a hard time seeing her lying on the ground as if she were dead. The image resurfaced and he had a hard time swallowing. Kagome placed her hand gently on his and willed him forward. "You were dead; at least that's what it seemed. Then you turned into this ball of light and you disappeared." Inuyasha was finally able to swallow which he did quite a few times to try and get the taste out of his mouth. "You were gone, we had no idea what had happened, but Miroku thought since you had helped us rid the world of Naraku that you would have been taken back to your world. I went back to the village, I knew that Miroku was right but I couldn't let go of you that easily. I went to the well, but it was gone. I kind of forgot everything else. The next thing I know I woke up near the spirit tree near your house. I went to your mother but she didn't recognize me. She threw me out and threatened to call the police." Kagome remembered the frustration of trying to tell everyone about the feudal era. "So I went underground and waited until I could feel your power. I was able to track you and now I'm here." Before she was able to move he grabbed her and held her in his arms. Kagome had forgotten how good it felt to have someone there to protect her. For some reason she forgot everyone else and just remembered how good it was to be with him.

"Well, we should get back." She looked up at him, but neither of them wanted to break free.

"Just wait, I just want to … just wait." Inuyasha could never say out loud that he couldn't think of time without her. He felt if he could hold her like this then everything would be fine and Naraku would just disappear. "Fine let's go back."


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter 12**

Harry wondered what happened when the couple left, but he didn't have to think long because both Ron and Hermione started wondering the same thing, out loud.

"Guys, not helping," he said over his shoulder, looking back at them. They didn't have to wait long, after a few minutes Kagome came out of the shadows holding the hanyo's hand.

To forget the embarrassing situation everyone ignored the momentary leave of absence of Kagome and Inuyasha. They went on talking about their adventure and decided the best time was to leave within the next few days. Ron pointed out that they should at least wait a few hours before telling his mother and family they were leaving. They agreed to meet at the same place in two days and at that time they would all be ready to leave.

As Harry, Hermione and Ron were walking away, Harry turned back to see Kagome waving at them with a very disgruntled Inuyasha at her side (A.N. everyone at the Burrow believes that Kagome left so they figured it would be better for her to stay away to keep the confusion at a minimum).

When the day of their departure arrived Harry was glad to be leaving, he hated the fact that he would leave all of his friends, who had become more than a family to him, but he also hated the way Mrs. Weasly followed them around. She kept telling them they didn't have to go, but when it finally sank in she started telling them everything they would need. She followed Harry around for a full twenty minutes telling him the importance of taking enough socks.

The thing they most looked forward to was the fact they would be leaving to make a difference, or so they thought. When Harry reached the camp where they were meeting Inuyasha and Kagome, he thought that may not be the case, or at least not right away. He knew in the back of his head there might be some fighting between his other four companions, so before he left he asked Fred and George if they had anything for sound proofing. As it turned out they did because of the nocturnal activities that had been happening in the adjacent room.

The first thing that happened when they got to the camp was to find out Kagome hadn't packed up and Inuyasha was pressuring her to finish. She got angry and then he got into an even worse mood. Hermione went over and helped Kagome with a quick spell that seemed to fit everything and more into the small pack that Kagome was holding. Kagome thanked her and Inuyasha muttered about her not needing all of that "crap." Ron let out a snigger before he could stop himself and he was too late into trying to turn it into a cough. Hermione rounded on him as Kagome was going at Inuyasha, Harry rolled his eyes and stuck the bright red ear pieces into his ear and thought about the long trip ahead.

The ear pieces worked very well, Harry congratulated the twins in his head. They were able to block anything that was annoying the wearer but they didn't block anything else. Harry was able to enjoy the surrounding sounds without worrying when a fight would break out. Unfortunately he wasn't able to enjoy it as much as he would have liked. Other than the fighting there was a heavy weight on the group. Harry realized that a week from the day that they had left, they would have left for Hogwarts. He resolved for the billionth time he would stop Voldemort and then maybe go and try and reopen Hogwarts.

This went on for days, them following Kagome's lead. Sometimes they would follow a scent Inuyasha would find, or a direction Hermione's wand pointed them. Kagome said she could defiantly feel an evil aura north of where they were.

"If only we had a map." Hermione wondered out loud, as they were walking one sunny morning. There had been little fighting and Harry was hopeful he wouldn't have to pull out the ear pieces.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Kagome stopped the group and set her bag down to fight with the contents until she pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. "Sorry there's writing all over it but, here I think it should make do."

She and Hermione knelt down on the ground and the boys just sat and waited. When the map was laid down on the ground Hermione let out a squeal.

"How do you know ancient runes?" She said getting excited. "Are they something a miko has to know? Oooh is it part of your countries history?" She was getting more and more eager with every question. It wasn't until she sat and read what Kagome had written did her face fall. "Do you know what this means?" She said, the tempo of her voice changed completely.

"You're the only one who knows Ancient Runes, Hermione." Ron said, and thankfully Hermione didn't seem to notice the sarcasm in his voice.

"Right, yeah, well it says 'They who are equal will never face until all is done. As two become one, another is whole, another is gone, and a new world has begun.'" There was silence that followed what Hermione said. Everyone standing didn't know what to say or how to react. They stood there for a while until someone mentioned they should go, silence stayed with them until it set with the sun.

They camped out as they had for the past days but the only sounds they made were few and far apart. _At least we're talking_ thought Harry_ and no one is treating me like a time bomb._ It was true almost everyone was thinking of Harry, Hermione and Ron were wondering if Kagome's message was correct and if it had anything to do with Harry. Kagome was wondering who the two were, and Inuyasha was busy counting.

"I have to leave." He stood up quickly, but not fast enough. Just as the sun set a change came over Inuyasha. His ears shrank down to the side of his face, claws that were long and sharp at his sides were shortened to a normal length, and the most surprising of all was his hair changed from white to a shade that mirrored Kagome and Harry's. His eyes stopped turning from a golden shade to a deep blue. Harry finally realized that this was a time that Kagome had mentioned, Inuyasha had been turned into a human.

Seeing no reason to go into hiding, Inuyasha sat back down grunting. He ignored Ron's questions and just seemed to go into a trance where he forgot everything. Kagome, however, was staring up at the clouded sky. _I had completely forgotten that tonight was the new moon, Inuyasha will probably be mad at me for not reminding him, but then again how could he forget?_ She sat there in her musings for a while until they all started hearing a tinny sort of whistle. They all looked around and Kagome was thankful that Inuyasha was human, because in his dog form the noise would have driven him mad.

"What the hell is that noise?!" _I guess he hates the sound even in his human form_ Kagome giggled. They all watched as Harry pulled out a colorful top out of his pack. Everyone gathered around the toy as it spun in his hand. "What the hell is that?" His mood seemed even worse now that the noise was out in the open and even louder.

"Shut up all of you!" Kagome said in a fierce whisper, Hermione silenced the top with her wand and all noise ceased in their camp. Silence and darkness surrounded them like blankets. Every muscle in Kagome's body was tuned into listening for any sound. She relaxed when she heard nothing. But then ……

_Stomp _

_Crash_

_Stomp_


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter 13**

Something big was coming toward them. It seemed not to care whether or not about the things that got in its way. They saw trees fall in its wake. In seconds Kagome and Inuyasha jumped into action. They started to take the packs and put them up in trees. When the only thing that was left was the fire Inuyasha ran off, the darkness swallowing him.

Harry only had seconds to think about how much of a coward Inuyasha was, when Kagome saw the look on his face and explained that no one could see Inuyasha in his human form. Harry had almost no time to deal with this new information because before he could ask anymore questions Kagome left to stop Hermione from putting the fire out.

"Demons hate the fire they didn't start. We've won a fair few battles by having a fire out." She seemed quite sure of herself even though Harry thought the idea seemed ridiculous.

When the thing finally intruded into their camp Harry felt as if he had wandered into a dream. The giant stood over him taken aback that there were people there. It was an ugly thing, its green skin stretched over thick arms and legs. A simple cloth was wrapped around its waist. Its head was much too small for the giant body it sat upon, though Harry couldn't see a face since it was covered in a mass of brown hair. When it had understood there were people there it roared.

They were taken aback for a second or so and then they sprang into action. The thing was bent on trying to get just one of them, which gave them an advantage. It decided to go for Kagome first, and Harry smirked, the thing would soon have a few extra holes in his head. But when Kagome fired her arrow, the simple wood just bounced off the monster's forehead and left a nasty welt. The demon roared again, they hadn't killed it, only made it angry. Saliva flew from the things mouth when it started making its way even closer to Kagome.

Harry didn't know what to do but he started running for the thing. He remembered Kagome mentioning fighting a demon who hated light, _I hope this works _he thought.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" The yell barley made it over the noise the monster was making. A silver stag flowed from his wand as if it were water. Without even looking back the stag charged the fiend. The second the stag touched the things leg, it screamed and the patronus disappeared. Where it had hit, it had left a burn that seemed to get bigger and bigger, soon covering half of the demon's leg.

A clear blood curdling scream could be heard across the fighting ring. The thing realized that these small objects at its feet were no longer something to play with; it now decided they needed to be exterminated. It no longer swiped and staggered, it now moved with a greater speed and precision. Harry knew that he should conjure another patronus, but how many would it take to finish the fiend off? He then had an idea, but it would need a distraction.

After getting to Hermione and Ron and getting them to understand what he needed them to do, Harry set off with the task of getting to Kagome. The monster seemed to want to stay with Kagome and try to finish her off first; it must have remembered the pain from the stick that hit it. Kagome's eyes widened when she listened to Harry's idea.

"I can't believe I didn't think of that!" She smiled at him, and he signaled the others for them to start. Ron started to levitate some rocks and sent them flying at the giant's back, while blue flames spurted out of Hermione's wand at the ogre's head. When the thing was finally distracted Harry conjured another patronus. This time the stag knew what Harry was thinking and didn't charge. Kagome notched another arrow and the stag stood in front of it, the next second the arrow and patronus were flying in the air straight for the demon's neck. The arrow hit home.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione had never killed a demon before. They had seen things that may fill Kagome's dreams with horror, but nothing Kagome or Inuyasha could have said would have prepared them for what happened next. The scream that issued from the demon's mouth grew higher and higher until it reached a level where they could no longer hear but feel. They felt it in their bones, and muscles, an aching pain that seemed to tug at their insides until everything hung loose when the scream ended. Harry thought that would be the end of it, but then the creature writhed and he seemed to collapse on himself. An acrid smell filled the air, a smell tinged with sulfur and other horrid chemicals. It was hard to explain what happened next but in seconds the demon was down on the ground in a pile of sludge.

Harry looked over at his friends. Ron was trying to console a silent, white faced, immovable Hermione; seeing them together Harry started staring around for Kagome. She was picking up the last remains of their camp quickly. Before he could go to her, Inuyasha emerged from the trees and wrinkled his nose. They spoke with words Harry couldn't hear, but they seemed to decide something and they made their way over to Ron and Hermione. Harry pretended not to see anything and looked up when Kagome came near him.

"We've decided to leave, demons everywhere will be attracted to the smell." She seemed to want to say more but was cut off when Inuyasha called to her.

It wasn't until a few hours of them carefully picking their way through the night when Hermione squeaked. Everyone turned, concerned, to her, she had been silent the entire time since they had left the campsite.

"I know a way that we won't have to be so careful." They all looked at her, the concern had fled and in its place was curiosity. She walked straight up to Inuyasha and flicked her want up at his face. Knowing the damage she could do with her wand Ron made moves to stop her, but it was Inuyasha who spoke first.

"Damn! Get that stick outa my face!" But before he could dodge out of the way Hermione had performed her spell. A small light engulfed Inuyasha and then it disappeared. With the light also disappeared Inuyasha's human exterior. He looked like he always had. Even he seemed shocked at the change. He looked over and over at his hands and then he twitched his ears on the top of his head.

"Hey! What did you do to me?!" He didn't seem mad now, he flexed his claws and before Hermione could stop him he ripped at a tree next him. Or at least that is what he tried to do.

"I was going to tell you that this is only an illusion and I didn't change you back." Hermione tried to say over his howling. He looked up at her indignantly, as if she was his mother and had told him to eat his vegetables.

The rest of the night had been silent but the tension of Inuyasha's appearance was lessened. Kagome only wished he wouldn't think that the spell changed him back into a hanyou. She gave a sly glance in his direction, it seemed as if he didn't think he was a hanyou. He didn't have that stupid smirk on his face, the face that seemed to say he could save any of their lives in a second from the most terrifying of demons.

Two people noticed Kagome's 'secret sly glance,' and both misinterpreted it completely. Harry thought Kagome was thinking about telling Inuyasha off and saying she wanted to be with him. He puffed his chest out, in the only way that men do, and strutted off, even though he hated strutting. Ron noticed this changed in Harry and coughed. Harry feeling stupid slumped down.

Inuyasha simply felt someone staring at him, and he knew that person was Kagome. He believed she was thinking about how big and strong he, Inuyasha, was and how she couldn't think of being without him. He puffed his chest out, in the way men do, and strutted over to Kagome. What he was thinking must have shown on his face because before he even got there

"I know that stupid look anywhere." Kagome said looking angrily at Inuyasha. Before he could do anything she yelled, "Sit boy!" Kagome stood over him, "and that should teach you to stop thinking like Mirkou."


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapter 14**

After days and days of walking Harry felt like he was the only person on the planet who had ever been stuck between two bickering couples. They never stopped fighting with each other. What made it worse was Hermione and Ron never would admit they liked one another, so they would constantly send pricking jibes behind, in front, and even over Harry's head. Inuyasha and Kagome were a different story, they would bicker but neither of them knew what they were fighting about. One would make a joke and the other would find it offensive and then the shouting would begin. Or what was the worst of all was when each couple would fight in one huge brawl. The girls would fight against the boys and Harry as always was stuck in the middle. He did get in trouble once when his opinion was asked of. He had been enjoying a particularly nice afternoon with the anti-yelling plugs Fred and George had given him when he was hit across the shoulder.

"What?!" Whenever he was forced into their fights it was always to give his opinion. He hated doing it because it always ended up with one side hating him and the other carrying a disgusting smugness about them for the rest of the day.

"I asked you if it is a good idea to find the nearest town and ask for directions." Hermione said her hands on her hips; she had suspected he had been using some sort of Weasley Wizard Wheezes to drone out the fight.

Personally Harry thought it would cause too much notice if a group of teenagers walked into a town and said "how do you do I was wondering if it would be too much of a trouble to tell us what part of England are we in?" He chuckled quietly at the thought of trying to get Inuyasha to stay behind to wait for them to return, or, he laughed even harder, having Inuyasha walk up with them into the village.

"Well?" Hermione wore a dangerous look on her face; Harry looked around and found the same hazardous look wearing all over Kagome as well.

"I think," said Ron loudly before Harry could open his mouth, "that it could be too risky to just waltz into a town and ask 'please are we in England or Scotland?'" Harry snorted, and Ron looked smug. Harry chanced a glance over at the girls; both of them looked less than pleased. Hermione was turning a violent shade of pink.

"Oh, come on Hermione, what if Voldemort is hiding out in the very village that we walk into?" Harry tried to make her see some sort of reason as to why they couldn't ask for directions.

"Well then we would know if we were on the right track!" She yelled and stormed off; Kagome followed her looking less angry as Hermione as if Harry had made some sense in the argument. Harry turned all around to see where Inuyasha had been, usually when it came to arguments; he was the loudest and the most out spoken. Ron caught him looking all around and took a hold of his elbow.

"Our furry friend decided he needed a higher perspective." He said as he pointed up to the treetops. The forest had been getting more and more dense as the days had moved on. Harry had no idea where the last Horcruxes would be but he had a good feeling something would be discovered on this road.

An odd sensation covered the boys. It felt as if the wind had stopped, the noise deafened, and the different smells of the forest were completely snuffed out. Harry turned to Ron and both of them started glancing around to try and find out where the terrible nothingness was coming from.

A rustling in the bushes startled them, it came from farther back in the trees and it was steadily moving closer. As it grew nearer the sky darkened and the wind that was kidnapped seemed to let lose with a horrible howling. The trees bent and snapped under the weight of the newly released storm. Just as the creature was about to make an appearance Harry pulled out his wand.

"Damnit get that thing outa my face!" Inuyasha yelled, the last thing they needed was excess noise so Harry lowered his wand even though the only thing he wanted to do was to curse the being that was standing across from him.

"There's a shield near by, I just thought you would want to know, but you better leave it to me. I can handle it with my Tetsaiga, I wouldn't want you to break your _sticks_." Before Harry or Ron could do anything Inuyasha leapt off and was gone in seconds leaving only the bushes protesting his departure.

Harry looked at Ron who shrugged his shoulders and then they went off in the direction the Hanyou had gone. They heard a defiant yell and then an explosion so bright the trees themselves turned into toothpicks blocking what little light they could. The heat was searing, Harry thought the hair on his head would be burnt off because of the temperature. He tried to close his eyes but the blast was so strong even his eyelids brought him no comfort. And the wind, oh the wind, the trees closest to the demolition site had no control but to fall and allow the foliage behind them to try and stand against the mighty power.

As quickly as it had come, it left. Every thing around the two boys seemed in entire shock that such a thing could happen within their forest. The silence that followed was unlike the silence before, where one felt there ought to be noise, this was a silence where one felt noise never existed. Harry wondered whether or not he had ever even moved before, if he had been here all his life. Was he like the trees around him, and what was this thing next to him opening and closing his mouth.

"We should go." Ron whispered, during any normal circumstance Harry would not have been able to hear him, but this was different. He nodded and took a step toward the blast site.

What they found was unlike anything they had ever seen. They knew they were close even before they saw anything. The air became dense. The ground became black, and when Harry looked back the trees facing him seemed to be so dark as if they were painted with tar. As they moved on, puddles of an oily substance began to appear everywhere. And then, just as suddenly as the blast had come, they came upon the dreaded area.

A dome covered an area that was roughly fifty feet across. Harry could see through it but there was most certainly a wall surrounding the stretch of land. The stuff, Harry couldn't think of any other word, surrounding it was like the flames in the Goblet of Fire, the magical object that chose the champions for the Triwizard Tournament in his fourth year. It was blue and it moved as a flame does, rapidly and it never seemed to be the same thing twice. Harry was about to reach out his hand to touch the stuff when Ron called out to him.

"Harry, over here," Harry turned and saw Ron kneeling over the body of Inuyasha. His battered sword was lying over a few feet away from him. As Harry neared he saw, with some dismay, the hanyou's chest was gently rising and falling. As both boys were leaning over the body the air became dense again. It seemed as if the forest had awoken from its shock of the blast and now was threatening to take down the dome itself. The wind whipped the branches but oddly enough the breeze never reached the three figures on the ground.

"It must be some sort of runoff magic from the dome." Ron said, his voice different from when they last spoke on the path with the others. When Harry thought of the others he realized something with great dread.

"Ron," Harry knowing full well the color had gone from his face "Where are the girls?"


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**Chapter 15**

"_Ron," Harry knowing full well the color had gone from his face "Where are the girls?"_

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Ron who had been going through his sack trying to find something that would revive Inuyasha, looked up with the same amount of alarm on his face. The water bottle he was holding squeezed so hard from the pressure of his hands that the cap flew off and hit Inuyasha in the nose. If that hadn't woken him up then the water that drenched him definitely did.

"What the hell!" The hanyou blinked and shook his head in a very dog-like way. When he finally looked at the other two surrounding him; "What are you to looking at, what's the matter anyway?"

"The girls, um Kagome and Hermione, we don't know where they are." Harry said a painful lump coming up in his throat, this had happened too many times to him and he wasn't going to let it happen again.

Before he had even finished his sentience Inuyasha got up and stalked off to the forest. When he got to the tree edge something odd happened. He seemed to walk into an invisible wall and the wall threw him back. He was sent flying a few feet, at which when he landed he got up and walked to a different spot but right when he was about to step through the trees he was thrown back again. Dispite the comic look about his actions Harry wanted to join Inuyasha just to try and do something and not think about how they had lost Hermione and Kagome.

"This could take a while." Ron said to Harry as Inuyasha got back up and started at the wall again. This time Inuyasha took his sword and starting to brandish it. The wall threw him back so far he flew though the flame barrier and vanished. Ron and Harry ran to where Inuyasha disappeared. They were able to see a figure stand and shake again in a very dog-like way and they knew they found him.

They weren't able to tell if Inuyasha was facing them or not, but they could tell the figure was looking around in awe of what was surrounding him. He then raised his sword and started running until the two boys could no longer see him. Without wanting to wait Harry looked at Ron who nodded and both of them walked through the barrier.

What Harry saw was nothing at first but then he stopped walking and everything became clear around him. He was standing in the very same graveyard that Cedric had died in three years ago. There were granite tombstones surrounded him but there was no sign of Ron or of Inuyasha. Harry wanted to call out to them, but the second he opened his mouth a body fell on his right side. A quarter of a second later something else fell on his left side, on closer inspection he looked at it and it was the Triwizard cup. Harry's eyes widened in realization of what happened. The body to his right stood up and walked over to him.

"_Did anyone tell you the cup was a Portkey?" he asked._

"_Nope,"_ Harry said just as he did three years ago. Not waiting for anything else Cedric started to speak.

"_Wands out, d'you reckon?"_

"Yeah," Harry said following the dialogue of the past.

_They pulled out their wands. Harry kept looking around him. He had, yet again, the strange feeling that they were being watched._

"_Someone's coming," he said suddenly. _Remembering what happened next, he threw all of his weight onto Cedric and both went tumbling down behind gravestones. Before Cedric could complain Harry put his hand over his mouth, "stay quiet," he hissed in Cedric's ear.

Knowing his scar would start hurting the second Voldemort would appear prepared to aim his curse.

"_Diffindo_" the giant cauldron spilled but before Wormtail was able to repair the mess Harry said another spell Hermione kept using on his potions. Within seconds all that was left of Voldemort's plan was a cracked cauldron slightly steaming sitting in the middle of the graveyard.

"Potter!" a weak voice yelled across the cursed stones. Seeing no reason why he should worry over a baby he stood from his hiding place hoping Cedric wouldn't follow suit. He didn't see anything out of the corner of his eye so he assumed that meant Cedric was smart enough to not get up.

"Wormtail," the voice wheezed again, "Get rid of the other." Wormtail raised his wand and smashed the tombstone where Cedric was hiding and Harry didn't have to go over to him to know he was dead. He started to take a few steps toward Wormtail but then all went blurry. A wind whipped at the figures around them and they started to blow away.

"Tisk, tisk, you were supposed to pass that one." Said a voice that sounded exactly like Dolores Umbridge over Harry's head; "I will give you two more chances."

The wind started to die down around Harry and he heard shouts and screams all around him. A death eater was charging at him but before he could do anything;

"_AARGH!" Neville had come lunging out of nowhere: Unable to articulate a spell, he had jabbed Hermione's wand hard into the eyehole of the Death Eater's mask. The man relinquished Harry at once with a howl of pain and Harry whirled around and gasped "STUPEFY!" _

Harry looked around him and knew that he was in this place only a year ago. Before thinking of anything he looked at the Prophecy in his hands and threw it as far as he could and as far away from all of the fighters. Everyone seemed to be there, everyone including:

"SIRIUS!" Harry yelled over the crowd. Within the split second that he called out his godfather's name the man turned and looked away from the fighting. In that moment a Death Eater aimed a curse and the green light hit Sirius in the back, he fell forward and lay on the stone no more than a few hundred yards away from Harry.

The wind swept up again before Harry could reach Sirius his body and the stone surrounding him was gone.

"Oh I thought you would have wanted to save him!" The voice giggled over head, "Oh well," it sighed "I guess you will have to try this one."

Harry opened his eyes and realized he was flying, looking around him he saw the man he had wanted to see over any others.

"Sir?!" Dumbledore turned to him and gave him a serene smile.

"Harry, I know with I may not seem myself but I can assure you I am." He smiled again and turned his broom to the Astronomy tower.

"NO!" Harry yelled surprising not only Dumbledore but also himself, so much that he almost fell off his broom. "I mean that if there is any fighting then we should go through the main gates rather than land on the tower." Harry was grasping at straws, but anything from keeping Dumbledore off that tower.

Dumbledore frowned but then turned his broom toward the entrance hall. Feeling relieved Harry followed him. Before Dumbledore reached the doors the familiar wind came and blew him away.

"NO!" Harry screamed, but it was unable to be heard over the howling of the breeze surrounding him.

"Well, you got lucky that time, but how about this one?"

He was flying again and but this time it was day outside and there were thousands of screaming people down below, but he could hardly tell because of the rain that was pounding down on his back. Harry knew this Quidditch game almost instantly, this was in his third year and he was about to encounter hundreds of Dementors.

"Expecto Patronum!" He said quietly shooting the silver stag downward towards the field. In the next second he heard the screams and the shouts of the teachers. He could hear his mother screaming in his head but it was deafened and the familiar cold was lessened. Waiting for the wind to come and take him away, the voice to scold him nothing came. He opened his eyes and there was the golden snitch right in front of his nose. He grabbed the tiny, wet, struggling ball and held on with all his might.

Harry lived out the rest of his third year day in the common room shouting and celebrating. It was fun to see how tiny Ron and Hermione looked compared to his seventeen year old self. He was finally starting to enjoy himself when the familiar voice rang out over the common room.

"I think that is enough time for you now." The voice sounded disgruntled, angry that Harry hadn't resisted the urge to grab the snitch.

Everything darkened and before Harry could blink he was somewhere else. Where that was, he had no idea. He recognized it vaguely but had no idea what it was. It was night again, and he was standing outside a house that seemed like he had lived there his whole life, but it wasn't Privet Drive.

One glance at the street sign told Harry exactly where he was. Without even thinking he ran up the stone steps to the door and knocked on it.

The man that opened the door was just a little bit taller than Harry but the likeness was unmistakable. Harry was unable to breath.

"Dad?" he whispered when he was finally able to get air into his lungs. The man looked confused for a few moments and then he seemed to recognize the likeness he shared between Harry and he.

"Well you should probably get inside." He said opening the door a little farther. "I don't know whether I should trust you, but I know that you aren't a muggle." Harry looked confused, but his father pointed "I know these are dark times but you shouldn't hold your wand just at your side, friend." He patted Harry on the shoulder and steered him inside.

They went down a narrow hallway one side of the wall was covered with smiling and waving pictures, of a young mother, of a small baby, and a few with the entire family together. The other side of the hall had a staircase traveling upwards, Harry could hear a faint whisper of a music box and a woman singing a lullaby.

The man turned him the other way into a cramped living room. The space was occupied by one other person. Dumbledore looking exactly the same from Harry's last vision stood to greet the two men who entered. Dumbledore's eyes traveled over Harry and rested on his scar as every other person in the wizarding world did. Harry glanced nervously around taking in everything around him, this was _his _house, he actually lived here.

"I am truly sorry James, but I am afraid I must be off." Dumbledore stated, he was about to brush past them but Harry stopped him.

"Wait," he said grabbing Dumbledore's arm, "What's the date?"

"July 30, why?" Dumbledore looked at the young man holding on to his arm quizzically.

"How old am I, no wait," Harry tuned to his father "your son, Harry, how old is your son?" He started to speak faster his blood starting to turn into ice.

"He'll be one tomorrow." James said with a hint of pride glowing in his voice, but as soon as it had come he started to grow fearfull, "how did you know—" before he could finish, Harry cut him off.

"Voldemort is coming, tonight, probably at midnight." He turned to Dumbledore noticing that his grip on the man's arm had tightened, he lessened his grip but didn't let go, "Professor, the thing, Sibyll Trelawney predicted, it is going to happen tonight." Dumbledore looked straight into Harry's eyes and Harry stared straight back.

"Harry?" He said quietly.

"Yes." Harry decided that there was no reason to not tell his old headmaster the truth. They stared at one another for a moment longer and then Dumbledore broke into action.

"James, get Lily and Harry and meet me downstairs as soon as possible, we're going to get you to the Order right away." As James ran upstairs, Harry wanted to follow but it was Dumbledore's turn to grab his elbow. "I don't know who you are, but how do you know what Sibyll told me three days ago?" Harry looked down at his shoes before he could think of anything to say his mother and father were coming down the stairs, his mother was carrying a blanket and underneath was ……

"Ah, Lilly, I hope that this isn't too much of an inconvience, but this young man has some interesting news we must listen too. But before he says anything we must be off to the Order." He then opened the door and steered the three out the door. As they turned on the street they were met by a hooded figure. But before they could do anything an arrow came flying out of nowhere and hit James squarely in the chest.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!" The Umbridge-like voice screamed through the air. Seconds later Harry was standing in the middle of the deserted forest, trees fallen all around, Ron was standing a few feet away was nursing a black eye, and Inuyasha was kneeling behind him his sword moving in an upward motion as if he was stabbing an opponent above him.

The night was all around them, the expression Ron was wearing was the same on Harry's and Inuyasha's, they all looked stunned but before they could do anything people were yelling out their names.

"Ron!" Hermione ran over to Ron but before he could back away she hugged him.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome did the same as Hermione and ran to embrace him. Ron and Inuyasha seemed dumbfounded at the girls reaction but they soon got over their shock and hugged them back.

Harry stood alone gazing at the ground below him, _I saved them, I made a difference, but I couldn't save Sirius or Cedric._ He wondered if he actually had saved his parents, and he had saved Dumbledore, his heart rose he would be going home to a mother and father, he would be able to return to school and see those half-moon spectacles smiling down at him. Without thinking he reached his hand up to his forehead. And in that freezing moment when his fingers made contact with his scar he knew that they were all still dead and they were going to stay dead.

He sighed and looked at the couples near him, but as he was looking around he saw something shining next to his right foot. It winked at him as if it were telling him to bend over and pick it up. But if anything had taught him in the last few hours he knew not to just reach out and grab whatever it was on the ground.

As he got closer he saw that whatever it was was blue and bronze. It was a small thing, no bigger than the size of his fingernail, Harry was surprised that he even saw it, the stone was covered with dirt and mud. The second his fingers brushed the jewel a bright light burned his eyes for what felt like hours, but when he was able to see he saw the jewel had multiplied by a hundred.

The others had finally seen something was going on with Harry. Hermione rushed to his side and sat down next to him.

"Harry, what's going on?" She looked from him to the ground he was staring down at and squealed. "Harry is this another Horcrux?" He nodded, not taking his eyes off the shining jewels. "Why don't you take it?" She reached out her hand and was about to grab a jewel when Harry stopped her.

"Don't you think Voldemort would have some kind of protection against it?" He looked at her quizzically, but she put as his mind at ease.

"Harry, what do you think you just went through?" She looked back at him again and was about to reach and grab one but Harry stopped her again.

"How can you tell which one is which?" He asked her, Harry knew that she was a good witch but he hadn't seen her do any spell to figure out the right one to choose.

"Harry, what do you mean? There's only one there." She looked at him and realization crossed over her face. "Harry! I think you have to grab the Horcrux, you touched it already right?" He nodded, "So I have to help you grab the right one. I mean you said Dumbledore told you that Voldemort counted on the people finding the Horcrux alone so I'm here to help you." She looked pleased with herself and pointed her finger to a specific jewel.

Harry reached out and picked it up only to drop it again, the jewel had grown so hot that he was unable to hold onto it. Before he could see anything the ghost of a woman rose from inside the center of the stone. She turned to Harry and bowed to him.

Her face was noble and strong, her hair pulled back into a difficult knot and her robes were raven black. She seemed about to speak but the moment she opened her mouth a breeze blew her away. The sun rose over the tree tops in a rosy, velvet glow.

Harry picked up the stone and realized it was a broach, it was cold and heavy to his touch but as he turned it over he saw a small R carved into the back.

**A note from your author:** I know this is a really long chapter, but I didn't really feel like breaking it up, because it wouldn't have been fair. So was this woman Rowena Ravenclaw or was she someone else? I also would like to say when Harry was inside the "bubble" and seeing all of that stuff, the things in _italics_ were direct quotes from the Harry Potter novels all of them by JK Rowling, I DON'T OWN THEM AND I DIDN'T WRITE THEM! Thank you.


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**Chapter 16**

Harry was completely silent for the next few days, the others sensing his discomfort stayed away. They were so quiet that by the time the third day rolled around, and Ron started to speak they were all surprised that they could communicate.

"We should get to a village, we need to know if we are going to cross any borders soon." He looked at his shoes when he said this but Harry could tell that he was being truly humble when he said this. He glanced over at Hermione and she smiled at Ron who didn't notice because of the fact that he was still entranced by his laces and trying to cover up his ears, which were now bright red.

They walked in silence for a while longer until Harry could no longer bear it. He turned to Ron who had stopped staring at his sneakers.

"What did you see?" He looked his friend straight in the eye and didn't stop staring even though Ron tried to avoid his glance.

"Harry I dunno, different pieces of my life. There was a part when Fred and George were picking on me, and there was another at Hogwarts and just different stuff." He was trying to be vague but when he mentioned Hogwarts Harry's curiosity was peaked.

"What did you see at Hogwarts?" It was this time his friend succeeded in not looking at him, Ron looked up at the sky, which for a change was bright blue.

"I saw Ginny get taken into the Chamber of Secrets, I couldn't stop her and I saw her go, I also saw Hermione get petrified but I was able to stop that, instead the snake got me instead, I was there when my leg got broken by Sirius but before anything could happen I accidentally let go of Scabbers and he got away. There was a voice and it was saying that I made a poor wizard and who am I kidding thinking that I could fight dark wizards with you." He seemed out of breath from his rant but he was able to look straight into Harry's eyes. Before he could ask Harry what he saw Harry turned onto Inuyasha.

"What did you see?" He was stubborn, not willing to let the hanyou brush him off. Inuyasha growled but seeing no other option he started to speak.

"I was fighting, the entire time with my brother." He looked Harry straight in the eye when he said this, and even if he was lying Harry didn't like the challenging stare that covered the hanyou's face. "What did you see," when Harry paused, Inuyasha started to laugh, "Oh I get it you have to know everything about everyone but you can't tell anything about yourself. What a sad story that you are."

"You were lying!" Harry shouted.

"At least I said something, human, you were so cowardly that you weren't able to say a thing." Harry hated the winning look on Inuyasha's face; however, he knew that the half-demon was right.

"I saw people die, ok." He threw Inuyasha a scathing look as everyone else stared at him their mouths open. "What are you staring at a lot of people have died around me." Hermione reached out a trembling hand and tried to touch his shoulder. Harry brushed her off, but immediately felt sorry. "I watched them die all over again, Sirius, and Cedric. I was there though," his voice falling just above a whisper, "when…. I saw my mom and dad."

Harry felt like punching Inuyasha in the face just to do something, just to stop everyone from staring at him. He wanted to do something rash, to not have to endure the horrible pity that shrouded his companions' eyes. The only person who seemed indifferent to this display was Inuyasha, his haughty smile had fallen but he still kept looking down on Harry.

Harry stalked off shoving his hands into his pockets, despite the sun rising the weather was changing for the colder. He didn't know how long or when it started but soon everyone was following him, they all kept a good range away but Harry could sense the beings tracking, and watching, his every move. _This is exactly what happened after Cedric died, everyone was afraid of talking to me, because I was this tragic little boy. _His insides burned with anger _was that how Kagome felt? That I'm just some basket cast that will hurt her if she came up to talk to me?_ Harry's head started to hurt from all the contempt he was holding in at his friends. He had just started shaking with spite when someone came and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Harry," Kagome looked him straight in the eye, there was no fear in her features, only concern. This seemed to calm Harry down and he was able to speak quite civilly to her.

"Yes?" There was no need for him to say anything more, he was still angry.

"I thought maybe we should stop for now, I mean its getting dark and all." _I sound so stupid, and here I am trying to comfort him and I sound like an idiot _Kagome screamed at herself in her head.

Harry looked around in wonder at the hours that had passed since he had last spoken to anyone. The visions of his past were so clear and new that it seemed unbelievable they had vanished over seven hours ago. He nodded at Kagome's waiting form and walked to the edge of the road.

As everyone were setting their packs down, Ron frightened them all when he cried out as he was going through his sack.

"What the hell…..?" He reached in again and pulled out a box, wrapped in brown paper and had a note stuck to the front.

Everyone quickly gathered around to see what the note said and Harry felt his anger ebbing away to nothing when he read the note.

_To our dearest brother Ronald;_

_We wish to congratulate you for leaving the house so early, and for having the guts even to stand up to our dear mother and tell her she can't do anything to stop you. Upon further inspection of your bag we realized……_

"Hey!" yelled Ron, "They went through my stuff!"

_Upon further inspection of your bag we realized that not only are you a dolt, you are a complete idiot as well._

Everyone burst out laughing, all except Ron who turned a furious shade of magenta.

_You have never had the extreme displeasure of having our father take you, to what muggles so fondly call cramping, so when you are out in the wilderness you do not know what to pack. We have given you all you need to survive in the wild outdoors and hopefully you are not stupid enough to find it after many days in front of your entire company. If you ever are in London please stop by, if you don't we will be forced to hire our dear mother since she feels it would be us you would confide to first. We hope that you are well and that you and Hermione are not forcing Harry to wear our earplugs more than necessary._

_Your older and more handsome brothers,_

_Fred and George_

When the end of the letter came to a close all those around were wiping their eyes from laughter, Fred and George seemed to have that affect on people. No matter how dreary the day, the year or the moment was Fred and George Weasley knew exactly how to lighten it.

"I knew you borrowed something from Fred to hinder your hearing." Hermione rounded on Harry. He looked sheepish as Ron chuckled and hit him on the shoulder.

"Hermione, do you think you two would have stopped fighting just because I asked?" Hermione opened and shut her mouth, and Ron's hand fell from Harry's back. Inuyasha looked like he was about to laugh when Harry looked at him and Kagome, "And do you think that you wouldn't have hit me if I asked you to stop bickering?" The group went silent but Harry just started laughing, they all looked so silly with that guilty look on their faces. "Honestly guys I don't mind I just wish I didn't have to use the ear plugs eighty-five percent of the time." They all looked sheepish which only made Harry laugh even harder.

Canvas and metal rods were what turned out to be in the box from Fred and George. After a while they were all able to set up the tent, and Harry was delighted to see the same look he wore on Kagome and Inuyasha's face the first time he had seen a wizard tent.

Harry pulled the flap back and first Ron, Hermione and he all went through. When Kagome and Inuyasha were absent for a few moments Harry put his head through the flap to invite them in. They seemed hesitant but yielded to Harry's request.

The sight that met Kagome's eye when she walked through the tent opening was like nothing she had seen before. There in the center of the room was a table and five squishy armchairs; there was a small but efficient kitchenette off to the right and three doors leading off to the left. Hermione was standing next to the far door and looking happily inside. As Kagome neared, Hermione turned to her, almost with tears in her eyes. Kagome sighed when she saw a full bathroom, with soap and enough soft towels for all of them. Kagome eagerly went to the next door entitled 'gents' to find bunk beds, and in the last room entitled 'misses' two smaller beds were laid out. Fred and George had seemed to think of everything and over and over in her head Kagome thanked them.

Ron was busy in the kitchen looking around at all the things inside it. He was looking dumbly at bowl and a small package with strange writing on it.

"AHHH" Kagome screamed causing everyone and everything to jump, and Ron to drop the package he was holding. Kagome ran to pick it up and started jumping in the air. When she was ready to speak everyone but Inuyasha was able to understand what she was saying, "Its udon, its udon, its udon, I am going to have udon. Oh thank you Fred, oh thank you George." She held the small package to her and danced around in the kitchen.

Upon further inspection of the kitchen Kagome realized she could not only make Udon, but also Okonomiyaki, her personal favorite Gyoza. Inuyasha started to get excited, not only was Kagome one of the best cooks he knew but she was also going to make Okonomiyaki.

(A.N. You may be wondering what these dishes are and I will tell you: Udon are Japanese soup noodles, there are many different ways of preparing it but Kagome will make the Kitsune Udon, appropriate because it is the fox udon, and it is made with fish sausage naruto, baked tofu, and leeks. Okonomiyaki is a pizza pancake and you can really put whatever you want in and on it. Finally, Gyoza are Japanese dumplings and they are filled with a mixture of pork, leeks, and sake they can be known as "pot stickers" in America)

After everyone seemed to think they were going to burst from Kagome's cooking she brought out another treat, she explained they were Kanto-style Sakuramochi. They were folded sweetened rice cakes and Kagome seemed proud that she could finally show off her talents in the kitchen.

After everyone had gone to bed Harry stumbled into his bunk above Ron, hardly able to wait to get to sleep. It would have been eaiser if there wasn't a silvery being floating above Harry's pillow.

"We have to talk."


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**Chapter 17**

Before Harry had time to react he could feel his bed jolt out from underneath him. Knowing Ron was beneath him, Harry almost cried out but just as he was about to hit Ron he was flying out of the room, out of the tent, and in seconds he was flying over the forest.

"I find the sensation of flying to be much more enjoyable than when one's feet are on the ground. Don't you?" Dumbledore's knack for talking about the strangest things at the oddest times still shone through.

"Sir," Harry had a hard time believing that Dumbledore would have chosen to stay behind as a ghost, "Didn't you, I mean, weren't you…"

"Dead? Harry I would have hoped that even though I have passed you would have been able to articulate fully about death. It is not something one should be afraid of but something to be embraced." He stopped abruptly because a tree branch had hit him in the face, but the entire bough flew right through him.

"Sir, are you a ghost?"

"Harry, I would have thought that my little speech would have given you the answer but sadly I have failed again. No, I am not a ghost, but before you ask me what I am I will tell you, I know how much you love to have your questions answered despite the knowledge gained is not what you need but only what you want. I am simply a wandering spirit. I must finish my earthly deeds before I am permitted to enter into that great kingdom above."

Harry looked at his hero, mentor, and friend with complete and utter confusion.

"I cannot give you any more information than that, though I am afraid you will be dwelling on this for the rest of our conversation. Despite your inattentiveness we must press on for the good of the subject I spent the last parts of my life fighting."

Harry still dumbfounded Dumbledore couldn't be a ghost tried to listen but in his mind he was still trying to make out what a "wandering spirit" was.

"Harry I want you to think back when you spent the summer at the Order. Do you remember?" Their flying speed had lessened Harry knowing Dumbledore must have been trying to tell him something huge thought back to when he spent all of his days cleaning and wishing he could know more information. When he nodded Dumbledore went on.

"Do you remember cleaning?"

"Yes but Sir, what does…"

"Listen Harry for I don't have very much time, do you remember all of the objects, especially the ones you had trouble with?"

"Yeah, I mean there were the drapes, and the biting books, and….."

"As long as you remember then you don't have to say. I want you to know the moments with you have been _golden_ and I would hope that you keep them in your _heart_ always, and it would just _crush _me if anyting happened to you. Now, I have one thing before I go, I must look for some socks. I was never given enough socks when I was alive."

He looked at Harry and smiled, the smile Harry had come to know over the years, and for the second time just as the sun rose Dumbledore vanished.

The second he was gone Harry started to fall. Harry reached for his wand but realized he had left it under his pillow and hadn't had the chance to reach for it when he started flying. Now he was falling, he fell through the trees; the branches scraping him as he went further and further down, the trees swallowing him up until any from the sky level could no longer see him.

Harry closed his eyes in dread, Hermione and Ron would be searching for him when they woke up, but when he landed he hit something soft, not hard, rocky ground. When Harry had the courage to open his eyes, he realized that he was no longer outside but in his bed as if the entire experience with Dumbledore was just a dream. Harry let his head fall back onto his pillow and instantly dreams overtook him.

"Harry!" An angry voice met him after he finished his statement, "Why didn't you wake us when you got back?!" Hermione looked expectantly, as if Harry had a perfectly good excuse for not telling them what had happened in the middle of the night.

He shrugged, "I guess I just fell asleep when I landed back on my bed."

Hermione rolled her eyes, as if sleep was the least important thing at that moment. "Then why didn't you tell us when we woke up?" This time Harry had a perfectly good reason.

"I wanted to wait until it was just the three of us." This comment received yet another look, this time from both Hermione and Ron. "Listen, it's about Dumbledore, how are we going to explain that he's just some wandering spirit, and that I get visions of dead people?" Ron accepted this instantly, but Hermione was still anxious.

"Harry, we can trust them, they have seen a ton of stuff, and maybe they would understand…" Her voice trailed off, and she looked around as if Kagome and Inuyasha were listening in behind them. But they had informed the group that they would be up above in the trees trying to get their bearings.

"There's another thing too," Harry said looking down "We have to get to the Order, and how are we going to do that with Kagome, and Inuyasha?" The other two were silent, they walked some way down the path, a hesitant quiet surrounding them.

"I've got it!" Ron exclaimed, making Hermione and Harry jump. "Why don't we apparate there and then back?" He looked back and forth from the two faces around him, "We could get there and back before nightfall when Inuyasha and Kagome get back!"

Harry could start to see the light in this; after all he had passed his apparition test and he knew the others had passed as well (A.N. Yes, I know I didn't put it in my story, but Harry and Ron both passed, Hermione passed in their 6th year). A slow grin started to move across Harry's face, he was beginning to like Ron's idea, no, he was beginning to love it.

After much coercing Hermione finally agreed to come with them, on the only condition that they return before sunset, no matter how far along they were. The boys approved and they prepared to leave.

As Inuyasha and Kagome were traveling above the branches, she on his back and he jumping between the trees, they felt something odd. Inuyasha for one second could smell the humans somewhere below him, but then nothing. Well, not exactly nothing, he could smell that red-haired boy's scent, but only faintly.

Kagome could not locate any of their auras, but the one she was most worried about was Harry's. His aura, which was usually strong and pure, was now so weak that she couldn't feel it like normal. It weakened and then it was no longer there.

Hundreds of miles south, three teenagers appeared out of nowhere, surprising three things. One: a trash can threw its lid off in shock, two: a tree ruffled its leaves from the alarm of the sight, and finally a cat raised its head and felt scorn for not being recognized by these three strangers.

The three teenagers grabbed the wall for support, Harry hated apparating, and he preferred brooms for travel. When he glanced at the others, Hermione seemed like she was going to be sick, and Ron was feeling his forehead.

"Dammit!" He cursed loudly, "Every time."

Back in the forest Inuyasha and Kagome had reached the ground, and where he had smelled the red head's scent. When he bent low to the ground Kagome tried not to giggle when she saw what he picked up.

I was half an eyebrow.


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**Chapter 18**

Harry turned his head to see if any person saw them apparate. When they heard and saw nothing they made their way down the alley. It was Hermione's idea to stop in a dingy alley because there was less of a chance they would be seen, and because it was far enough away from the order that if a dark wizard were to catch them they would not be able to find what the three were looking for.

When they came to the end the alley opened up to reveal a shabby cul-de-sac where the houses were covered with rotting wood and rotting paint. Even though it was just after the sun rose, with the entire sky filled with a pink light, the houses and ground they walked on were doomed to endure a lifetime of dimness.

When Harry turned to face the thin space between a depilated gray dwelling and a red house with its roof caved in he thought of the small piece of parchment he had seen two years ago.

As if on command a balloon like object started to muscle its way into the space between the two houses. It pushed and clamored its way until it was a fully-grown building. The three stared at it with caution and sadness, the last time they were there Sirius had been alive and inside waiting for them. Hermione was the first to wake from their stupor, and walked up and knocked on the door. It was opened almost immediately and they were hushed into the darkness.

"Ron!" The voice that let them in was whispering so as not to wake Sirius' mother. They could feel strong hands ushering them into the kitchen where instead of the usual smell of food only a warm fire met them. The sun started to peek trough the windows but it wasn't strong enough to fill the room.

An older man was sitting at the opposite end of the table, hands covering his face. Harry could see he was older because of the white and gray covering his hair. When he heard the commotion coming through the door he turned his head to greet the travelers.

"Harry," It was Lupin, though it was hard to tell, bandages covered at least half his face and on one of his hands he was missing three fingers. Hermione whimpered and ran to see how badly his injuries were. "No, no, don't try Charlie has helped me to the best of his abilities, but some of these wounds are harder to heal."

Before any long-winded discussions could be started Harry immediately went to the sitting room and started poking around for different items. After a few moments Hermione and Ron came in.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Hermione questioned as she watched both boys rustling through a box of various objects, which included some stones with menacing looking skeletons inside to a book, which was covered with what looked suspiciously like blood.

Harry stopped in his searching and looked at Hermione. "You know…. I don't really know what exactly, Dumbledore never said. He asked me if I remember the items we had trouble with, and I mentioned the drapes and the biting books," at this Ron immediately drew his hand out of the box of books he was looking through.

"And what did Dumbledore say?" Hermione quizzed.

"He said as long as I could see it in my mind that was enough." When Harry was met with no immediate response he looked up to find Hermione wearing an expression of pure concentration. Harry would swear he could see and feel the gears in her head turning.

"What did Dumbledore say right before he left? He must have been giving you more clues."

"He said the moments with me were golden and I should keep them in my heart and if anything ever happened to me he would be crushed. It doesn't sound like a clue though."

"Well that's because he wanted you to figure it out for yourself." Hermione looked at Harry, he was just relieved she didn't have to think for twenty minutes before telling them her ideas. "The first thing, about seeing it in your mind, that must be about something you saw in the Pensive, and keeping your heart and golden…." She sat down in frustration but jumped when something beneath her started to growl.

"Hang on," Ron said breaking silence, "what did you say Slytherin's locket looked like?" In an instant all three jumped and started looking through the boxes.

After hours of searching Harry gave up and sat down. Hermione carefully picked her way through the mess and sat next to him trying not to sit on anything. Ron just stood looking exhausted.

"Boy, if we had a house elf then thing wouldn't be so bad." Hermione looked at him as if she were going to set him on fire but didn't have the energy. Harry started to grin; he ran out of the room but was careful not to make a sound as he ran past the heavily curtained portrait in the hall. Making his way into the kitchen he went to Kreacher's hovel.

When the others arrived Hermione started to protest about this being Kreacher's home and they shouldn't go through his things but she stayed quiet after a collective "Shut up" from both boys. Since the quarters of Kreacher were small only one of them would fit inside at a time, so Harry went in, with Hermione, who looked very disgruntled, and Ron outside.

After Harry searched for a while he found many objects Sirius had thought he had thrown away but ended up in Kreacher's room. Harry hoped that the locket would be there as well. When he was about to give up he looked over at the disgusting tiny pillow and felt sorry for the house elf serving him, it was then he noticed a lump in the corner of the pillow. He grabbed it, and ripped it open, in amongst the feathers flying a small golden, heart-shaped locket, the very same Sirius had trouble opening was sewn into the corner.

"Are you three staying the night, its getting pretty dark out." Lupin's bandaged face peered over Ron's shoulder. Hermione yelped when she peered out the window.

"No, sorry we can't stay." Ron said as he jumped up as well. Harry wearily followed suit and got up as well, it would have been nice to talk with other wizards about news of the outside world but they did make a promise they would be back before nightfall. He quietly asked Lupin if they could disapparate in the front hall. A few seconds later all three went to the hall, with Charlie and Lupin looking on, and envisioned the wooded path they had left that morning.

The sight that met their eye when they returned was not a comforting one.


	20. Chapter Ninteen

**A note from your Author:** Well this was a fun chapter to write, I know I updated yesterday but I think that I will finish the stroy before the new book comes out or else I won't keep to my story but probably change it to whatever is in the 7th book.

I don't own Harry Potter, or Inuyasha, or The Princess Bride, or giant purple birds (hmm that would be fun).

**Chapter 19**

_The sight that met their eyes when they returned was not a comforting one._

Hundreds of dead, grotesque, steaming bodies were piled all over the path. A battle had been fought here, and the falling sun didn't help but add to the eeriness of this premature graveyard they were standing at the foot of. Harry scanned the dark, bloody mess that lay before him. There was no sign of Kagome's yellow backpack, or of Inuyasha's red kimono, but he did see many of Kagome's arrows and most of the bodies were covered with scratch marks from Inuyasha's claws.

They were all about to move on when Harry saw movement near the foot of the massive pile. When he reached him it was a teenage boy, who looked about the same age as Inuyasha. His long black hair was stuck to the bloody cut that crossed his chest. He kept trying to lift his head up but he was too weak to do anything else.

"Koga?" Hermione asked from behind Harry. The boy lifted his head higher but it seemed to weaken him and he didn't say anything but nod.

Hermione knelt down and pulled her wand out, Koga's eyes widened as a white light shone out of the tip of her wand. The cut started to lace itself back together and soon the only remains of it were the dried blood on Koga's chest.

"How the hell…" Was all he could get out before he fainted. Hermione immediately went into action.

"Harry I need you and Ron to get firewood and build a bed, we need it to be far enough away from this place but close enough because we are going to have to carry him." She looked down with pity in her eyes at the fallen wolf lord. "We can't set up tent, its too risky, but we need a fire." Harry and Ron had no time to react to the amazing bit of magic Hermione had done because she had them scurry off to get all the things she needed.

When they had safely gotten Koga on a bed of pine needles with a fire next to him did Harry and Ron start to interview Hermione. But she stayed completely silent as she started digging through her pack. When she pulled out three vials and a collapsible caldron she started to talk.

"I just thought we might have gotten over our heads and it would be a good idea to know some healing spells." She acted as if all she had learned was how to write backwards or collect baseball cards.

"And what is that?" Ron said pointing at her potion.

"It's a blood thickening potion, I was able to close the cut but he lost a ton of blood, so I have to replenish it."

The caldron bubbling was the only sound between the three companions except for the occasional grunt or groan from Koga. It seemed not even the wind would make a sound in this wretched place. All three agreed someone should keep watch and the less magic they do the better.

The hardest part of the night presented itself in the form of force-feeding an unconscious Koga. But after Ron sat on the demon's chest and held Koga's arms down with his legs, Harry held the man's head back and Hermione poured the potion in.

"How long 'til we know it worked?" Ron asked looking at Hermione, she shrugged but as she did Koga's eyes flew open and his gaze landed on Harry and Ron.

"I'll beat you both apart, I'll beat you both together. Why won't my arms move? Why am I lying down? Where's Kagome?" (A.N. Ahh I love The Princess Bride for those of you who are fans then you will know, and for those of you who aren't ….. shame).

Hermione quickly did a silencing spell and Koga's quick, and very loud speech, was cut short. He glared at Hermione for a few seconds after opening and closing his mouth trying to speak. He glowered at her one last time and rolled over.

However, Koga's pouting was short lived. His speech and their fire had aroused whatever thing had been waiting in the forest. Two silver pricks of light shone out in the darkness. As the thing drew closer, and closer, they could hear a low growl and a light almost unnoticeable amount of mirth filled laughter.

A white silvery being filled their campsite, he was taller than Inuyasha but the resemblance was uncanny. As the figure stepped fully into the light, not only his eyes gleamed. Maybe it was the white fabric, or the beings starlight brilliant hair but something made this figure glow. One arm was poised ready for action gripping his sword hilt, the other…. the sleeve was limp against his side. What Harry noticed about this man was his face, angry purple lines traced his features, and they seemed like cuts that refused to heal and refused to bleed. There was a much softer, if soft could be a word to describe this apparition before them, memento etched onto the creature's forehead. It was a tiny crescent moon.

His outfit was spectacular; fabric flowed freely with steel and armor. His sleeves were traced with red fabric, forcing Harry to imagine that it wasn't cloth he was looking at but the sleeves were dipped in blood.

A spell had fallen over the campsite. The only thing moving between the figures was the fire, content only to crackle forever on. Ron seemed just as confused as Harry as to whom this new life form was, Hermione was looking at the man with a mix of admiration and fear, and Koga had a look of pure anger etched onto his face.

"The Master Sesshomaru is one to be feared by all, all those should bow to the Master!" An annoying squeaking voice cried out over the encampment. The being that spoke was standing at the foot of what had to be Sesshomaru and resembled a frog on a very bad day. He was wearing a similar outfit to Inuyasha but his was brown. The way he treated and spoke to Sesshomaru reminded Harry of an all to loving house elf he had become fond of in the past few years.

"That will do Jaken." Sesshomaru's voice was like frozen daggers that cut into the companions concentration so deeply they could think of nothing else but to listen to every word Sesshomaru said. "Koga, I need to know where my brother is." It wasn't a request, it was a command, and Harry was thankful Hermione knew how to cast spells without using her voice, because the instant Sesshomaru called upon Koga she undid the silencing spell on the wolf demon.

"I don't know." The anger on Koga's face had intensified; he looked Sesshomaru straight in the eye, but refused to stand up. "I blacked out after killin' a few hundred of 'em, no thanks to you by the way. Where did you go, I would have thought an older brother of Inuyasha may have a bit more guts than him, but you know if you feel you're getting scared then by all means you're more useful if you run." Koga looked nowhere else then Sesshomaru's eyes.

Sesshomaru during Koga's short speech started to have a slight pink encase his face, his eyes flashed red at Koga's mention that he was more of a coward than Inuyasha, and by the end he was grasping his sword one again.

"YOU will NOT speak to Master Sesshomaru in this way, you are not as strong or as brave as he and you will never match up to him." The light blush on Sesshomaru's face was nothing compared to the creature Jaken. He was a livid purple, Harry doubted his green skin would allow him to turn red, and was hopping up and down. Right when he started to race toward Koga Sesshomaru placed a foot down on Jaken's clothes. The frog went down with a small splat.

"You will tell me where he is or else I will start to interrogate them." For the first time in the entire conversation did Sesshomaru look over at Ron, Hermione and Harry. It was a passing glace, as if Sesshomaru didn't want to waste time over some humans.

"What do I care, I've seen the kinds of stuff you do to people, I'm not letting you get near Kagome." After Koga said this Sesshomaru started to laugh.

"Ha, do you honestly think I care about the girl? I want only to kill Inuyasha and nothing more." The laughter did not reach the demon's eyes; it really didn't even have an effect on his face at all. It was just a hollow laughter coming from inside a hollow being.

"Now that's not playing very fair." Inuyasha stepped out from the shadows where he and Kagome had been listening. "Who says I won't kill you first?"


	21. Chapter Twenty

**Chapter Twenty**

Sesshomaru was furious he couldn't sense his brother's presence sooner. His lips curled, this was his chance, a chance to finally kill Inuyasha. He noticed nothing else around him all he saw was red.

Sesshomaru drew his sword and at the same time leapt forward. Inuyasha was just about to dodge and pull his own sword when his brother stiffened up and fell to the ground. He lay there unmoving face down for a while until Inuyasha, who was the only one brave enough, went to his brother's side. He kicked Sesshomaru with his foot a few times, but each time his foot landed the demon did nothing.

Sesshomaru had no idea what was going on. He had his brother at the tip of his sword and then for no reason he was paralyzed. He simply lay there and felt his brother kick him in the side. He thought back to the exact moment when he lunged. Yes there it was, a small aura speeding toward him, it hit him in the back and he went down. But, no, it wasn't an aura but something more powerful, but it was smaller. Sesshomaru wondered what it could be as he felt himself being turned over.

He face to face with a girl, she had brown hair and she was defiantly human. If he could have Sesshomaru would have sneered. He hated humans, a dirty and filthy race. She started speaking and Sesshomaru listened only because he didn't have anything else to do.

"You're going to pay attention, because if you don't then I won't take the spell off of you. I want to know a few things and your going to tell them to me." She did a small flick with a stick in her hand and Sesshomaru felt his mouth moving.

"I don't have to answer to you human."

"Oh yes you do, you see only us three humans here can take that little spell off of you. I mean maybe you could get lucky in a few hundred years and snag some wizard into helping you, but I doubt it. Now what were you saying?" She leaned forward, Sesshomaru felt hatred burn through him, but he stayed silent.

"Good, now how did you wake up?" Harry looked over at Hermione in surprise, why did she want to know something like that? Wouldn't a reason for killing Inuyasha be a little more pressing?

Sesshomaru was quiet for a while; the air around him wasn't filled with spite, but more with concentration and confusion. "I honestly don't know how I ended up where I was. I remember it being very crowed, but I couldn't see a thing. I kept bumping into different objects some of them were moving just like I was and some were stationary and cold. I saw a feeble ray of light and I followed it, trying to push my way through everything else. When I reached the light I awoke to find myself sitting on the grass in a world so…. different." Before anyone could speak, Inuyasha spoke up.

"Yeah I had that too. I don't remember it very well but yeah, it was so filled up that it was impossible to move. I didn't see any light though, I just closed my eyes and awoke outside Kagome's house at the spirit tree."

"I too had a similar experience," Everyone had forgotten Jaken, and the poor demon was sitting up shaking his head recovering from a Stupefying spell delivered by Ron. "I could neither move nor see, but I kept thinking about Master Sesshomaru and before I knew it I was by his side." The demon looked over to see his fallen master and gave a terrified squeak but before he could rush to his side Ron grabbed his robes and held firmly. Jaken glared up at him, "May a curse fall upon you quickly." He said darkly.

Hermione meanwhile was leaning over Sesshomaru's body. "Is this true Jaken just appeared out of nowhere?" This time Sesshomaru took little time to reply.

"He didn't appear he seemed to fall from the sky." He gazed up at her, his face showing no emotion. "I have answered all of your questions, now release me."

"I have one last thing, before I release you, you must promise never to hurt, or kill, any member of this party, human, demon, or whatever Inuyasha is. You must also swear you will stay by our side and help us whenever you can. That goes for Jaken as well." Sesshomaru seeing no loopholes in this agreement, continued to glare at the girl standing above him, she was smart and since he had no better offerings he would have to take the deal.

"Fine."

Inuyasha watched his brother in complete wonder. He had never seen his brother so mad and not be able to do a thing about it. He grinned wickedly Sesshomaru was annoyingly loyal, once he made a deal he would never go back on it, this meant Inuyasha would be able to play any kind of trick on his brother and Sesshomaru wouldn't be able to do anything.

Kagome watched Inuyasha's face as he openly smirked down at his brother. She went to the hanyou and whispered in his ear. "Not planning anything devious are you?" He jumped guiltily, but shook his head. "Good. SIT."

Inuyasha found himself face to face with his brother. Both looked as if they were going to kill the other right on the spot. As they each stood in unison they never took their eyes off of each other.

"Right well this is going to be a pleasant trip." Ron said behind Harry.

**A note from your author: **OK so I know this chapter isn't the longest of pieces but bear with me, I swear on Blamey-Fomorrii's life that the next chapter will explain everything.


	22. Chapter Twenty One

**Chapter 21 **

"I think we should be getting back." Kagome said after Harry had recovered from Ron's comment. "Inuyasha you can carry Ron, Sesshomaru you can carry Hermione, Jaken and Koga can you follow Inuyasha?" All of the demons nodded except for the two brothers who looked disdainfully over at Ron and Hermione.

When everyone was set, Inuyasha led them away from the bodies piled up on the road. Harry and Kagome were left behind; they started cleaning up the camp without a word spoken between them. _She probably found out about us leaving and she's mad_. Harry thought his stomach sinking as if it had a stone in it.

Harry slid the last thing into his pack, put it on his shoulder and turned to apologize but before he could, Kagome threw herself down and hugged him tightly around the waist. They stood there for an eternity, silently leaning on the other for support.

"Oh Harry, I thought you were dead." She said as she hugged him tightly, he could feel her tears as she cried onto his shoulder. "I couldn't feel your aura, and Inuyasha couldn't smell any of you. I felt so bad, I didn't want you to die without, without…" All Harry could do was stand and listen, his heart soaring in his chest. Did she really not want him to die?

Harry lifted Kagome's chin gently and looked in her eyes, her tear stained face shining in the semi darkness. He was just about to relax when a small noise came up from behind them.

"Ahem." Both Kagome and Harry spun out of each other's arms only to see a white haired demon starting back at them.

"My brother sent me to fetch you, he seemed to think that you would need to be _ah_ brought back as soon as possible, and I can see now why he would believe it." Sesshomaru smirked at the embarrassed couple standing before him. Before either could react he grabbed each by the collar and was flying off.

Sesshomaru seemed to never touch a branch as he was running through the air, but if he did he was to fast for Harry to see. In an instant they were there. It was a small cave carved onto the side of a mountain. There was a series of boulders to in front of the opening that if Harry were walking by he wouldn't have noticed there was an entry at all.

When they went in they saw two different scenes, one was Ron and Koga fighting over setting up the tent, and the other was Hermione and Inuyasha kneeling over a small fluffy thing lying unmoving on the ground.

Kagome went immediately over to Hermione where they started speaking in hushed voices. Harry turned to find Sesshomaru was missing along with Jaken. He went over to Ron and Koga to inform them but Ron explained Sesshomaru was keeping watch outside and Jaken went wherever his master was.

The three boys started to set the tent up and with Harry's help they had it up in only three small outbursts from Koga and five swear words from Ron. Harry was starting to really like the wolf demon but he found him somewhat unnerving when it came to Kagome. Koga seemed to think Kagome was going to be his queen when this whole ordeal was over. Harry simply shook his head and laughed. He knew Kagome would never agree to that in a hundred years.

When Ron lifted the flap to go into the tent Harry heard a gasp come from him when he looked inside.

"It's different!" Ron said as he poked his head out, Harry went in and Koga followed reluctantly.

Harry saw this time there were more doors and the kitchen was larger. In the center of the tent there was a large round table with chairs surrounding it. Five bedrooms replaced the original two and the bathroom had doubled in size. Ron went to the kitchen and found it filled with food.

"This will be perfect!" A voice exclaimed behind them, Hermione had stepped through the flap but didn't go in any farther. She turned her back on them and left, a few seconds later she led Inuyasha and Kagome in. Inuyasha was holding a small bundle in his arms that he placed gently in a bed in the smallest room.

Harry had never seen the hanyou so thoughtful to something before. Inuyasha watched over the small being so attentively Harry wondered if the half-demon was the bundle's father.

Over the next few hours Harry learned that the small thing was Shippo, a Kitsune who was badly injured during the battle. Harry also learned exactly what happened during the time he, Ron, and Hermione were at the Order.

It seemed when they left Inuyasha and Kagome instantly knew they were gone. They started searching the woods but they found nothing but the half eyebrow Ron had left behind. Kagome insisted they had to find the three before anything happened, and Inuyasha agreed. Kagome set up a difficult incantation, one that required almost all of her power. When she had performed the ritual, she found Harry's intense aura but it was so far away they wouldn't be able to get there in one day. Just as they were setting out a demon came and started attacking them. More and more came, drawn to the concentrated burst of power Kagome had let off in order to find them.

Harry could feel the guilt burning down in his throat, so he was the one that caused this, he was the one who insisted on Hermione, Ron, and he go. He was the one who insisted not to tell Kagome and Inuyasha. Harry felt he was going to be sick because of the guilt he felt for his fallen comrades. After the demons stopped coming Inuyasha and Kagome started to pick through the bodies to see if they could find anyone they knew. It was then they found Shippo, he was able to lead them to a cave where he had been living in and they left for it. They stayed there until Kagome felt Ron, Hermione, and Harry's auras again and the rest Ron and Harry could fill in.

Hermione was dedicated to making potions and was pulling out books from her bag to help with any healing. After Inuyasha and Koga shared their stories she came to tell them Shippo would be fine. At this news Harry went out of the tent to the dying fire in the cave. He poked it with a stick a few times and it made a feeble attempt to start up again.

"Harry?" A gentle hand rested on his shoulder and Harry looked up to see Kagome staring down at him. Now that they were in better light Harry could see a bruise growing on her cheek and there were cuts all over her arms. This brought on another wave of guilt and stared back down, there was no way he could look at her now.

He could feel her sit down next to him but she didn't say a word. After a while she rested her head against his shoulder as if to give him strength.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." He whispered into her head, hoping she hadn't fallen asleep.

"For what?" She moved only to grab his hand and will him on.

"For not telling you we were leaving, for not being able to trust you or Inuyasha when all you have done was to help us." Both of them could feel pain through these words. Kagome stayed silent for a while, but she dropped Harry's hand once he had started to speak.

"Why did you leave?" Kagome had a hard time speaking. Why did he not trust her? She understood why he wouldn't be able to trust Inuyasha, but wasn't he still her friend?

"We had to get to London, we—" Kagome stopped him.

"I don't think I really need to know, I'm going to check on Shippo. Goodnight Mr. Potter." She left without looking back. Kagome went as quietly as she could, so as not to disturb the beings sleeping on the couches, into Shippo's room and spent the rest of the night crying.

Harry stayed a while longer staring into the fire. He had been an idiot that morning, whatever small voice he had listened to was wrong and now he was paying the consequences. _You were afraid_, the tiny voice persisted, _you didn't want her to see you as some crackpot who saw a dead man walking_. Harry pushed with all his might to close the voice out, but it was right, he was a coward just as Inuyasha had said. Harry stood to make his way to Shippo's room to explain to Kagome when he turned one last time to look at he fire.

Its golden embers were pulsing in the depths of the wood, almost as if the center was a live beating heart protected by hot ash and timber. The color reminded Harry of something. Golden, why should that color be familiar?


	23. Chapter Twenty Two

**A note from your Author:** I haven't done this in a while, I don't own Inuyasha and I don't own Harry Potter.

**Chapter 22**

Just as the sun's rays were hitting the side of the mountain Harry remembered why the color golden was so familiar. Reaching for his side pocket he could feel the outline of the small locket through the fabric. Not wanting to wake anyone he left the cave for more room outside.

When Harry got out in the fresh air, he almost forgot the locket all over again. The air was so wonderfully fresh and cool, there was a slight breeze and it rippled through his hair and pulled at the trees around. (A.N. The entrance to the cave is on a path not just right on the side of a mountain). Harry was just about to set off walking when he heard a voice behind him.

"Not planning to run away are you?" Sesshomaru had settled himself on a rock just above the cave's entrance. If a person were walking on the path they would see neither he nor the opening to which he was guarding.

"No, I have to stretch my legs." Sesshomaru reminded Harry of a Hippogriff a being who only trusted you if you made eye contact with it. Harry had no trouble with that Sesshomaru was already staring at him.

"I don't believe you, however I don't care so do what you want, just don't get yourself killed thus making me come after you." After his little speech Sesshomaru looked away as if Harry no longer existed after he was done speaking to him.

Wanting to stay and argue but deciding against it Harry shrugged and left. He walked down the path a ways and then turned off to a clearing in the woods. It was there he pulled out the locket and examined it.

There was a rustling in the weeds behind Harry and when he looked back he came face to face with Jaken (rather it was Jaken's face to Harry's knee).

"Master Sesshomaru told me to follow the human and Master Sesshomaru is always right." Jaken said in a dejected kind of voice, Harry realized the small creature was never truly happy unless he was by his master's side.

"Can you do me a favor? Can you open this?" Harry handed the small locket to Jaken who took it with great interest. As he tried to pry it open he started muttering to himself.

"Yes, yes almost, almost, no, no, no, Master Sesshomaru wouldn't make me do such dirty work, Master Sesshomaru would be able to open it in a second he would, he's much stronger than the human over there, yes, yes…" This went on for some time as Jaken struggled with the locket. Harry soon became bored and sat down to play with his shoelaces. Jaken was determined, so determined that when he moved backwards he didn't notice the log behind him and he fell backward.

As he fell the thin gold chain fell over his neck and the second it did Jaken turned a color of pale green and went as stiff as a board.

Harry noticed none of this, as he was watching a small worm crawl up his hand. He did notice a being floating up among the weeds.

It was the exact replica of an eighteen or nineteen Tom Riddle; he must have finished up at Hogwarts because the robes he now wore were midnight black and bore no house crest. The figure looked around the clearing and then shouted out.

"Trying to hide from me again Potter? Well it won't work this time I don't feel like fighting fair, I just feel like killing you." With that there was a flash of green and Harry saw nothing but white-hot pain searing in front of his eyes.

In another second the pain was gone, Harry held his fingers up and examined them, he was alive, but where was Riddle? Harry jumped up before the curse could be called again and aimed his wand at Riddle's heart. When Riddle saw this he burst out laughing.

"Ha, ha do you really think you can beat me I am Voldemort! I am the greatest wizard of all!" He was thrown back as Harry's curse hit him. An ugly look crossed Riddle's face, he didn't wait to boast anymore, he simply raced toward Harry throwing curse after curse.

At some point during the battle between them Harry realized something, but just as he was about to formulate a thought, another curse was lodged at him that he had to duck. Riddle had Harry running in circles all around the small clearing, Harry finally decided he had enough running he turned and faced Riddle his wand raised.

Just as Harry was about to throw his first curse at Riddle, something white leapt over both their heads and charged to a side of the clearing away from the battle.

Riddle grinned, "There's no magic bird to save you now Potter." He raised his wand and started to cast the final blow to Harry.

In one second he was standing next to Harry his wand raised, the next he was on the ground screaming in pain. In less than a few moments Riddle had vanished. Harry glanced over to the direction of the white thing.

Sesshomaru stood over a weeping form of Jaken his sword placed firmly in the ground. As Harry ran over he saw at the butt of the sword smashed the locket shut.

"I told you, human, don't go off and get yourself in a situation where I need to come and rescue you." Sesshomaru started to turn but waited for Jaken to compose himself; then the three of them, much to Sesshomaru's disdain that a human was following him, made their way back to the cave.

Harry was fingering the locket; it was still as smooth as ever but it now held no shape as it was snashed flat. It seemed even Sesshomaru's sword wasn't strong enough to break the charm that kept the locket from opening. As if on command Harry heard a small click and the necklace opened up.

Inside there must have been a picture but all Harry could see was blank parchment, _the occupants must have wandered out of the picture_ Harry thought.

"How did you know to come?" Harry asked, they had been silent for a while, now nearing the mouth of the cavern.

"I sensed it, I also sent Jaken with you and I know when he is in trouble." And as always Sesshomaru left as soon as he finished speaking, Harry felt he learned something from the demon. Sesshomaru may pretend as if he didn't care for anything, but he did come running when he sensed Jaken was in danger.

Still smiling Harry made his way into the cave and was met with an explosion of noise.

"Where were you?! We were worried sick! You can't just leave without telling anyone!" Hermione was a cross between fury and concern as she hugged her friend.

"Sesshomaru knew where I was, he even helped me defeat a Horcrux." Harry said this in an off-hand sort of way but everyone was on the edge. There was another explosion of how's and why's and Koga's 'what is a Horcrux?' and Harry was surrounded by people. Even Inuyasha showed some interest, though he made Harry stop what he was saying as he explained to Koga what a Horcrux was, then Harry had to stop again when they had to explain again what a Horcrux was because somehow Inuyasha told Koga it had something to do with jewels.

There were two people who didn't join in the festivities (well four, but we already know Sesshomaru and Jaken are outside). Shippo, though making great improvement was still not strong enough to leave his bed, and Kagome simply stood at the entrance of the tent watching the happenings in front of her.

When everything had died down, and Harry had told his story nearly seven times, Harry made his way over to Kagome.

"I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am," he said not looking up from his feet, "but instead can I make it up to you?" At the last word Harry looked into Kagome's eyes.

She nodded and they went inside the tent. They made their way back to Shippo's room. The Kitsune was sound asleep his thumb in his mouth. Kagome took the only chair and sat next to the bed and Harry was left to sit on the floor.

"There was something I noticed during the entire time I was fighting Riddle." Kagome listened, she was about to become fed up, was he just acting like she wasn't standing there before listening to everything, or he wanted to brag more about it. "The only curses he used were the Unforgivable curses," Kagome looked up, Harry hadn't mentioned this earlier, Kagome tried to remember what the unforgivable curses were, and when she looked confused Harry explained.

"There are three Unforgivable Curses, and using any one of them you'll get sent to prison. The Imperius Curse, that causes the victim to be brainwashed and only do the will of the person who performed the curse. The Cruciatus Curse, that causes extreme pain." Kagome remembered that curse all to well, "And the Killing Curse." Harry knew it needed no explanation. "He only used those three curses, they're very advanced but I was able to dodge all of them. I can't figure it out, I really need your help." Harry gazed up into Kagome's eyes and saw comfort.

"Well I think he probably used those because he sees them as completely powerful and noting can stop them right?" At this Harry nodded, "Well it seems to me he figured that they can't be stopped so that is the only thing good enough for him to use. If he is anything like Naraku he's going to be full of himself. He'll believe the only thing good enough for him to use is something full of power. Riddle won't do anything that may seem weak, so any simple spell would seem beneath him. But then again I don't know all that much about this Riddle guy."

"Well from what you told me, I think he and your Naraku guy somehow merged themselves together to become more powerful. You said yourself you felt the evil aura growing, after that the demons were let out. I would bet the same day you felt the aura was the same time my scar started hurting." Kagome looked up with concern, she didn't know Harry's scar hurt, and she just thought it was a symbol of what he had lost.

Kagome slid down to the floor and looked at Harry, sitting in front of her was a boy who had lost everything and was forced to grow up on his own. Kagome was sure if the same thing had happened to her, she wouldn't be able to handle it.

Without thinking Kagome reached forward and kissed the man sitting across from her. She didn't know why but even though her feelings for Inuyasha were still there, her feelings for Harry seemed to have deepened.

It was Harry who broke off the kiss first. He knew she still wanted to be with the hanyou waiting outside but he couldn't stop wanting to be with her, to hold her, to kiss her, to just to sit and talk with her.

"I can't be with you only half way," It was Harry's turn now to try and chock the painful words out, "I can't be with you and know you're still with him." He looked at the girl who now held all of his dreams and kissed her quickly on the cheek, "I'm still yours." He whispered in her ear, with that he stood and closed the door gently behind him.


	24. Chapter Twenty Three

**Chapter 23**

The occupants of the tent never found out the full details of what went on in Shippo's room between Harry and Kagome, but Harry did explain their theory of how Voldemort used only truly powerful spells.

Since it was nearing lunch Kagome once again settled herself into the kitchen and created another masterpiece. Unfortunately it wasn't enjoyed as much as their last meal. Everyone was intent on talking about whether or not Voldemort and Naraku really did morph together.

For hours it seemed like hundreds of ideas were thrown out, some so unlikely Harry doubted they could be true, and others that bordered on the line of insanity. The only thing all of the ideas had in common was the impending destruction both villains would want to bring upon everything.

The more they spoke Harry could feel his hopes rise. Here were people who were all willing to fight to the death to defeat a blood-thirsty killer, their shining faces strong. It was at that moment Harry felt sorry for their enemy, Dumbledore had told him Riddle never had any friends in his life, Harry thought he wouldn't know what to do without his friends old and new. There was one person who didn't apply himself fully to the mounting conversation surrounding him.

Inuyasha couldn't stop thinking about what happened when he walked past Shippo's door that morning. He kept telling himself Kagome would stay true to him, but what he had heard brought doubt to his mind.

He heard that kid, talking to Kagome about all of the things they had been discussing for the past three hours. That was fine, Inuyasha didn't understand why they had to do it in the dimness of Shippo's room but he thought Kagome wanted to be by the Kitsune's side. But then the conversation changed, he could smell it in Kagome's scent. The boy said something about being in pain and the sympathy reeking from Kagome was almost sickening. He heard only slight sounds, and then a moment later he heard the boy telling Kagome he couldn't stay with her if she was with him, Inuyasha. The last part he overheard was the most frightening, the boy whispered, "I'm still yours." It was then Inuyasha left; he could no longer stand to hear more.

Didn't Kagome want to be with him? Inuyasha was plagued with thoughts and feelings he hadn't been burdened with, ever. Before Kagome, when he and Kikyo were…. well when they were together, Inuyasha never really had to guess what the Priestess felt he always knew it in his heart, until that day when they fell away from each other. Kagome always seemed to want to be with him, even when stupid Koga got in the way. But now… Inuyasha had no idea what was going to happen. He resolved to speak to Kagome at the first chance he got.

But the debate raged on as the hours melted away, so did the day light outside the cave. They had simple food for dinner, Kagome not wanting to leave the table long enough in case she missed anything.

When the entire subject was exhausted, everyone went to their beds in an equal fashion. Inuyasha stood around waiting at the table as Kagome finished the last of the dishes.

"Can I talk to you?" Inuyasha had trouble believing he was going to actually go through with his plan. If they started fighting then she might want to leave him for that kid.

"Yes, but lets go outside, I haven't left this tent all day." Kagome took the half-demon's hand, and with that motion Inuyasha's heart soared.

When they had merged out into the silent night, the breeze gently greeted them. The stars covered the sky like a blanket. Kagome stretched a few times truly enjoying the freedom of being outside. After a while she turned and looked expectantly at Inuyasha.

"Well this morning, well uh I mean with everything that we have been through we should--" Inuyasha had no idea how to speak to the expecting face staring at him in the moonlight. For the first time since they had come outside, Inuyasha looked at Kagome.

Her eyes were filled with starlight, and even though her raven hair blended into the black trees behind her, the little light from the sky reflected off of her pale face. Inuyasha knew he couldn't do anything to jeopardize their relationship. He couldn't bear losing her again.

Inuyasha simply smiled, "Nah forget it I just wanted to get you alone for a few seconds." He reached out and pulled her closer.

It was there with the starry night as a background did Inuyasha kiss Kagome. The hanyou's heart was beating so loudly he could swear their blood was pulsing in tune. The longing they had both felt over the past few weeks now poured out of them. The kiss lasted a long time, neither one wanting to break away for fear that if they did it would end up only as a dream.

"How touching, unfortunately I must break this ah love fest off. I need to inform you as per my requirements we are all in danger." Sesshomaru stood over the couple, his eyes and body tense with the sinister energy which now surrounded them all.


	25. Chapter Twenty Four

**Chapter 24**

As much as he hated it Inuyasha threw Kagome behind him and watched her run back to warn the others.

Sesshomaru stared at him expectantly, "Follow her, you idiot, we can't fight whatever is out there without knowing what it is!"

Inuyasha gazed at his older brother, he had never known Sesshomaru to back down from a fight much less put his brother before himself. When they reached the mouth of the cave a terrible scream echoed across the mountains.

Inside the cavern Kagome was putting out the fire and Hermione was performing a spell to set the tent invisible.

"Quick go inside and help the others find a place to hide," Hermione held the tent flap open for the two brothers and Kagome before putting the final touches on her spell.

Inside the tent was pure chaos. Ron was looking through the kitchen for any kind of crawl space; Harry was combing the bedrooms, and because of Jaken's size (he was a coward and ran inside long before Sesshomaru warned Inuyasha and Kagome) was looking under beds.

"Master! Master I think I may have found something," Jaken was hopping up and down with excitement, "Follow me." Sesshomaru, Hermione and Inuyasha followed. They were able to push a bed aside and they found a trapdoor.

On the top it read: For emergency use only, be sure to pull the tent down with you and close the door after you are out. Inuyasha wrenched the door open as Hermione called to the others.

After Sesshomaru, Jaken, Ron, Hermione, Kagome and Inuyasha were down the short steps after the trap door Harry looked around for a pull or hook, something to bring the tent down. As he was frantically searching for it a thunderous crash sounded from what may have been the mouth of the cave.

Spotting a hook near the top of the corner of the bedroom they were in Harry made a grab for it. He was halfway to carrying it to the trapdoor when Kagome screamed.

"SHIPPO!" Before anyone could stop her she ran up the stairs and out of the door. There was nothing but silence for a few painful seconds. Then ….

CRASH.

Wood and rock splintered covering everyone, though the rubble Harry saw Kagome holding the tiny demon in her arms. He pushed them both down the stairs and gave a hard tug to the canvas and closed the trapdoor.

Everyone was silent, the only noise made were ragged breaths coming from all of the members of the company (except perhaps Sesshomaru, I can't picture Sesshomaru ever being out of breath).

Harry could see they were in a dark small room; there were shafts of light shining above them covering them in a slanted dim glow. Praying he was right, Harry pulled out his wand and pushed the trapdoor up.

They met a whole different scene; instead of rock shelves filled with different boxes and other objects surrounded them. Harry felt this place was vaguely familiar, but he was unable to figure out just what.

"I'm going to close the front entryway, why don't you check the back door?" A voice floated back to them. The entire fellowship started scrambling back down the stairs but they didn't move fast enough.

A figure stood basked in light in a doorway at the end of the row they were standing in.

"Harry?" Recognizing his name Harry turned to come face to face with one of the twins.

The greetings that happened next would take too long, but let me add, Fred and George did remember Inuyasha and thanked him royally for causing a ruckus at a terribly boring event. Sesshomaru and Koga seemed to want to back away from the twin's enthusiasm, and Jaken took a great offense when Fred asked him if he was related to a Grindylow.

When George saw the small bundle in Kagome's arms he asked her how long the Kitsune had been sleeping.

"About two days now." Kagome looked with question in her eyes at George, now joined by Fred.

Fred held out a small package to Kagome, "It's an energy reviver, thought I wouldn't give it all to him, he's so small, a bite will do. But give it to him in the morning; let him sleep a while longer." The twins smiled down at Kagome, Fred motioned to the others and led them up the stairs, "We only have a small space, but I can conjure up some beds."

George stayed down with Harry and Ron. Hermione wanted to stay but she looked as if she were about to pass out, so she allowed herself to be herded up the stairs by Koga. Ron watched them go with a strong eye, seeing his brother George chuckled. He brought the boys back to a small storeroom and gave them bottles of butterbeer.

"You better enjoy that, it's from one of our last cases. Because of the fear and terror around today people aren't buying any luxuries." Harry could see worry behind the normally carefree eyes. "Our business has been hit, but we aren't about to go under. The worst that may happen is we will have to close shop and work on 'private endorsements.'" Both boys looked confusedly at George, "You know people think that if we can make the joke stuff then we can make protective stuff as well."

"We have at least ten to twenty people coming in every day." Fred joined the three and sat down. "They come in droves, all wanting some kind of protection, all willing to pay galleons for it."

"But can't you build that kind of stuff? I mean that tent was brilliant." Ron looked doubtfully between his twin brothers.

"You're not getting the point, Ron." Fred explained carefully, "we don't want to make charms only for the extremely rich, unfortunately we would be arrested if we advertised for the protections and the average wizard doesn't walk into our shop asking for the protection. The rich only want to protect their riches." Harry never knew the twins were so noble.

"Now tell us why you felt the need to come to our store in the dead of night, with four characters that look like they were in a cartoon together." It took a while but Harry and Ron were able to explain everything over a few hours. When they got to the part about frantically searching for a place to hide, Fred and George burst out laughing.

"Didn't you read the manual?" Fred managed to choke out after both Harry and Ron were fully annoyed.

"We would have if you had put one there!" Ron shouted.

"Anger, please brother we will explain everything." Said George throwing his hands in the air. Fred disappeared sill snickering as George wiped his eyes.

"Here it is!" Fred called. He came back with an orange pamphlet and handed it to Ron.

"_Weasley Wizard Wheezes_" Ron read aloud, "_The safest tent you will ever own! Enjoy a good camp out, and become just like a muggle! Directions: To set up the tent imagine what you need and want and it will become true! Built in safety features include: no smoke chimney, enjoy a fire without the smoke! A new and improved sound proof canvas, and for ten galleons more you can add a specific emergency exit, a destination set up upon purchase. And now you may own the safest tent know to wizards today!_ Hey wait there is some more scribbling down at the bottom. _Ron be sure to read this, the emergency exit is located in the bedroom on the far left under the bed, it will lead you directly to our shop_." Ron stopped reading and glared at his twin brothers.

"So we forgot to add those small details," George turned his gaze away from his brother to the only dark haired person in the room "Is it true you've destroyed three Horcruxses?

Harry nodded, "Yeah I know the last one is Voldemort and another may be Gryffindor's sword, but I can't tell for sure. The last two I have no idea." The twins exchanged glances. "What is there something I should know?"

"We have been doing some research, you said that Voldemort loved to take souvenirs and he also was fascinated with Hogwarts history, so we found something out. All of the founders of the school started this ritual, one that was held at the school for years until it ended. The founders drank out of a goblet, and to start a new school year the Headmaster would do the same. It ended a few hundred years later when the goblet disappeared. Harry, the goblet belonged to Helga Hufflepuff." Harry sat back and thought about this new information.

"Hey, wait a second, how did you know about the Horcruxses and why did you do research about the history of Hogwarts?"

"Ron, Ron, Ron, did you think we were above listening in on other conversations? We didn't invent the extendable ears for nothing." Fred said as he threw his arm over Ron's shoulder. "We listened in on all of you when you three went to lunch with Kagome. Don't you think we would have been curious about it when Hermione asked to borrow one of our giant jinxes?"

"So then you listened in on Kagome's an my conversation?" Harry said growing red.

"Don't worry, mate," George said winking, "your secret snog-fest will stay quiet between us." The last part was drowned out by and outrageous Ron yelling something like "why didn't you tell me?"

"Dear brother, do you honestly think you should treat your best friend in such a loud manner?" Within those few words George was able to silence Ron's noisy rant. Ron turned red and apologized to Harry.

"Good, now the first thing that needs to be decided is where you're going to go. We haven't found the location of the cup yet but we're getting close." Harry was amazed at the strength of his friends.

"Why did you go to such trouble for us?" He knew the question could be best left unasked but he had to know.

"Because we're not doing much just sitting here selling joke stuff." Fred said as he stared at a spot on the table, Harry could tell both twins were really struggling between living their dream and wanting to be out fighting Voldemort.

"You've done more than most of the Ministry combined. Don't be stupid and think you're not doing anything. You're making people laugh, you make their worlds just a little bit lighter." Harry knew noting else to say so he paused and then started up again. "I think the best thing would be is to go to Hogwarts and get the sword. It would be odd, thought, trying to get all of them on and off the grounds."

"Hey what about disguises? You know like the one Hermione created for Inuyasha?" Ron said after a while.

The twins almost jumped up, "We can help there." George said smiling.


	26. Chapter Twenty Five

**A note from your Author:** I just realized now, thanks to some wonderful reviewers, that all the demons can understand English. I really didn't feel like putting it into the story but here's my reasoning: Because Naraku opened the gap for the demons he somehow created a bond with all of them, the good and the evil ones. When Naraku and Voldemort merged together both gained the wisdom of the other. Somehow, even though he didn't plan it, the demons who got out were able to pick up a few things Voldermort/Naraku knew. It wasn't much though because Voldemort is very good at closing his mind, but to something like speaking English that just somehow got out. I hope you will still regard me kindly for this mistake and I am sorry it didn't come sooner.

**Chapter 25**

"I feel ridiculous." Sesshomaru complained. The robes the twins provided were the perfect trick. Each robe changed the wearer: Sesshomaru looked like a Goyle-ish bloke in Ravenclaw; Jaken, because he was so small, was a tiny Ravenclaw first year; Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Kagome were all seventh year Gryffindors; and, Koga was a ghost which the wolf demon found amusing. The greatest was Inuyasha, the twins said they had no other robes left so Inuyasha was stuck being a sixth year Ravenclaw girl. When Ron saw the transformation he laughed so hard he almost lost his robe.

It had been decided the twins would look after Shippo and would still be researching for Hufflepuff's goblet. The company then took a train to a village near Hogsmeade.

Kagome tried to enjoy the train ride but she had a hard time not thinking about either of the men sitting in the compartment next to her. She decided to take a walk down the hall pretending she had to go to the bathroom.

Kagome started walking and the farther she walked, the more she became confused, her thoughts taking her deeper and deeper that she didn't notice when she bumped into a familiar back.

"Miss. Higurashi was it? Isn't this a pleasant surprise?" There he was. Kin. In the flesh, he seemed thinner and his skin was paler but there he was standing in front of her. Before she had any time to react Kin grabbed a hold of her arms and dragged her into a small supply closet.

"Now tell me….where are you going this far north?" Kin didn't wait for and answer. "I'll tell you, I think you're going to Hogwarts with all of those friends of yours." His face was deadly close to hers; his voice never rose above a whisper yet it still drove fear into Kagome's heart.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Even thought Kagome was scared, she stared straight into Kin's eyes.

"Oh, please I know that demon Inuyasha was awoken from his slumber. When we last met you woke that stupid dog from the sleep you put him in." Just the same as last time Kin stopped speaking and started to scream.

Kagome didn't wait for Kin to evaporate like he did the previous time but started to run. Seconds later she was down the corridor and running into someone's arms.

Harry had left the compartment to get some air and escape away from the noise behind him. After he turned a corner at the end of the compartments he was given a very pleasant surprise. Kagome came running into Harry's arms. She stayed there embracing him for a while.

Harry knew something was wrong but he didn't push her.

Finally she let go and looked up. "I saw someone I didn't like." She said simply. Harry led the frail girl back to the compartment. Kagome was thankful Harry had been there, he just had held her and not pressed her with questions like Inuyasha would have done.

Somewhere hundred of miles away Kin and his master were in a small room.

"You have failed me to many times." There was a flash of green light and a few hundred miles away Harry's scar hurt.

The compartment was still full of noise when Harry and Kagome returned. Everyone noticed Kagome's pale complexion and Harry's slight blush but said nothing.

Inuyasha wanted to say something, but Kagome sat next to him and put her head on his shoulder closing her eyes at the same time. The hanyou clamed, if Kagome wanted him to know, she would tell him.

Hours passed and since this wasn't a wizard train, no trolley witch would come to sell them sweets. The demons, except Koga, wore their robes given to them by Fred and George, and although they looked like muggles, they all received curious looks when they got off the train at their stop.

They trekked for three miles until they reached the outskirts of Hogsmeade just as it was nearing dusk. Harry and the rest who didn't have their disguises ready stopped to put their robes on. Harry thought it best they head straight for Madam Rosmerta's, but before they could get there the woman herself was out on the street.

"What are you lot still doing here? Wait, I'll take you to the castle myself, I was just about to go." She went back into the bar and came back with a shawl wrapped abound her shoulders.

The walk up to the castle was long and silent. Harry remembered the last time Ron, Hermione and he were there was after Dumbledore's funeral. The three Hogwarts students bowed their head as they all thought the same thing. When they neared the grounds all three couldn't help but look over to where the coffin was.

It lay there still, shining eerily white in the growing darkness. It stood as a reminder to Harry that he would not stop trying to fight Voldemort, not after Dumbledore had given so much.

Madam Rosmerta stood at the gate and waited, in the still darkness a huge figure came toward them.

"Wha' do yeh wan'?" Harry immediately recognized the voice to be Hagrid's one of his oldest and dearest friends.

"I found some stragglers. They need to get back into the castle." Harry saw Hagrid nod and he opened the gate slowly. As soon as they all were let through and Hagrid closed the gait behind them did Madam Rosmerta leave.

"Yeh wan' ta tell me wha' yer all doin' ou' so late at nigh'? An' wi' a ghost non the less?" Hagrid seemed intent on getting them to the castle as fast as he could but Harry knew if they could just get Hagrid to his hut then they could take off their disguises.

"You know Hagrid we would tell you but once we get into the school then we will have to leave." Harry new that it seemed like a lame answer, but he was thinking as fast as he could.

"How do yeh know me name?" This got Hagrid to stop, "I never seen any of yeh before."

"Ask him how Fluffy is, or Buckbeak, or Norbert." Hermione said in a not-to-silent whisper. This got Hagrid to fully stop causing Inuyasha to crash into his back and to both theirs displeasure Koga, not being able to stop himself, flew through them.

"How do yeh know abou' them?" His voice was deadly quiet and his face was now only inches from Hermione's.

"We told you, we'll tell you everything if you take us to your cabin." Harry said again, daring to hope they may be able to win Hagrid over.

"Nah, I can' take tha' risk. Yeh'll jus' have to get yerselves up to the castle." He kept herding them back and Harry saw there was only one thing left he could do.

There was a patch of darkness right before the stone steps loomed up around them. Harry knew it was a huge risk; there may be a chance someone would be watching. Right when his foot crossed the threshold of the shadow Harry pulled his disguise off.

"Oh!" Hermione squeaked, Hagrid heard her and turned around.

"Put tha' bloody thing back on! Ye wan' ta get caught?" Harry quickly slipped the cloak on and went to Hagrid's side.

"You knew it was me?" He was eager, maybe finally Hagrid would lead them away from the castle.

"Keep yer voice down!" Hagrid hissed, then louder he said; "I'll take yeh back to th' castle and yeh can join the students in the grea' hall." He leaned back down as if he were tying a shoelace and said, "I can' tell yeh any more, jus' keep a clean nose and outta sight. If yeh have any questions go teh McGonagall or meself, bu' don' see me after hours!" With that he left, Harry looked at his two friends and they followed the others up the stairs to the front entrance.

When they reached the great hall they learned why Hagrid was acting so strangely.


	27. Chapter Twenty Six

**Chapter 26**

The light and laughter seemed to be sucked from the very stones as they crossed the threshold. The absence of Dumbledore's presence was so noticeable Harry felt like it slapped him in the face. They took Hagrid's advice and went towards the Great Hall.

When they opened the door, a familiar face met them. Agrus Filch, usually a nasty and unkempt man, was standing next to the doorway. Instead of his normal attitude, which was someone was always causing trouble; he was pensive, and quiet. When he saw Harry and the others he stopped them.

"Where have you been? Supper started nearly ten minutes ago!" He stared them all down, but instead of looking like he was going to be able to punish them, he glanced up at the head table.

"We got separated from the group, Hagrid showed us up from the village." Harry had to give Hermione credit, she sure could think on her feet.

"Well go on then, get a move on." Filch pushed them toward their separate tables. Harry thought for a brief moment how stupid it was that neither Ron, Hermione, nor he were with the demons as they made their way over to the Ravenclaw table. He quickly leaned into his friends to tell them his thoughts. Hermione again amazed them.

She turned to Koga, who was starting to float away, they spoke to one another for a while and then Koga nodded and Hermione left to return to the others. Once they sat down Hermione started to explain everything.

"I told Koga to follow the others and tell them what to do and then wait on the third floor by that statue of the one-eyed witch. He's going to check to see if the passage to Hogsmeade is open and then we're going to meet him at midnight."

"We can only fit one of us now under the invisibility cloak, and it is going to get awfully crowded in Dumbledore's office with all of us there." Harry was thinking hard, he wanted to have his friends with him, but he also wanted to be alone.

"I know, which is why only one other person is going to go with you." Harry and Ron were confounded at what Hermione was saying; usually she was the one who was outspoken about Harry getting into trouble by himself (Kagome was with them but she was interested in the food, REMEMBER she hasn't eaten in about a day and a half). "You said yourself only one person can fit under the invisibility cloak and the others will need a Hogwarts student with them to find their way. Also Fred and George only gave me one invisibility charm."

"Who'll go with me?" Harry wondered out loud.

"Well the person has to be smaller so that throws out Sesshomaru and Ron, what? Oh sorry" Hermione said as Ron threw her a dirty look, "But you're both too tall, I don't think it would be good if we saw just your feet walking around."

"I'm not taking Jaken with me!" Harry practically cried, Ron laughed at the distressed look on his friend's face. It was one of the very few cheerful noises heard around the Great Hall.

"No I think it should be someone in our group, because it would be easier to leave together, and seeing as how I'm the one whose got the charmed ring…." Hermione trailed off, looking at the boys.

"What you want to come?" Harry was hoping she would say no because then that would leave only one other person……

"No, I need to do something else." Hermione never finished her thought and just left it hanging.

"That leaves one other person." All three stared at Kagome who was busy trying every kind of dessert in front of her.

"Wha'?" Was all she could get out because her mouth was so full.

"Good luck mate." Ron said patting Harry on the shoulder.

Waiting in the common room was the hardest thing for the three previous Hogwarts students. It was usually a happy place, a giant fire roaring in the center of the room, the bubbling noise of different years of young witches and wizards working on spells or writing essays. Instead all was quite, everyone worked in complete silence and the only noise was the occasional crackling of the fire and the constant scratch of quills.

At half past ten Harry and Kagome got ready for their departure to Dumbledore's office. Hermione insisted they leave early in the chance they met trouble. Harry took out the map Fred and George faithfully passed down to him and they looked down at it. It seemed like no one occupied the old headmaster's office, as Harry looked he saw the familiar names he had grown up with. Now most of them paced their offices, dorms, or hallways.

They saw the small dot labeled Koga drifting around the corridor near the kitchens, where the Ravenclaw common room must be.

Hermione opened up the portrait hole at exactly ten-thirty to let the two invisible clad figures out. But instead of going back in with Ron, she went off in a different direction.

"You better not get caught out of bed like this, young lady!" The fat woman in a pink dress scolded after her. Kagome who was still getting used to the portraits moving and talking had to squeeze tightly onto Harry's hand (A.N. Yes I know how can Harry's had be outside the invisibility cloak, I don't know but they would have lost each other if they weren't holding on somehow. So lets just say Hermione made Harry's hand invisible).

They cautiously made their way through the corridors, some were deserted some weren't. Harry wasn't surprised to see more ghosts out rather than people, but he hoped Koga wouldn't be trapped into doing rounds.

When they reached the stone griffin Harry stopped. He remembered when Umbridge had taken over in his fifth year and the griffin refused her access. Would it be the same now? Now that Dumbledore was gone, would the office be sealed forever? Harry stood in front of the stone giant and waited, he knew he was taking a great risk if there was any chance someone would hear them but he took it anyway.

"Acid pops." The griffin came to life and leapt out of the way and Harry pulled Kagome up onto the moving stair with him. When they were safely onto the platform outside of the office door Harry pulled off his invisibility cloak.

"We should be fine I reckon." He opened the door and walked through.

The office looked exactly the same as it had the last time Harry had been there. The only things different, were there was no magical phoenix sitting on his perch, and there was no Dumbledore sitting behind the desk.

Without wanting to linger, or to give the sadness a chance to wash over him, Harry took a few short strides across the room to a case behind the headmaster's desk.

Kagome gasped when she saw Harry go for a beautiful jewel encrusted sword, she wasn't the only one to make a sound either.

The portraits around the office had a hard time pretending they were asleep because this was the first person they had seen in months. When Harry went straight for the sword, a few stood up, three fell off their chairs, two made an audible gasp, but only one smiled sort of.

"Harry," Kagome warned, when she heard the scraping of chairs and the disgruntled noises from the former headmasters and headmistresses when they learned their cover was blown. "I think we should leave." Before Harry could reply a new voice entered into the conversation.

"I was wondering when we would see you here Harry Potter."


	28. Chapter Twenty Seven

**Chapter 27 **

Harry turned around not daring to hope he was recognizing that voice. When he was fully around, his eyes lay on a painting very unlike the ones around it.

It was a field, with wheat gently blowing in an invisible breeze. A greatly traveled dirt path cut through the side of the painting and next to it right off the center was a giant oak tree. It's huge branches swayed with the wind, and its leaves opened up to the sunlight above.

"I must say I always hated to have my portrait done, so when I died I decided this was the best one to inhabit." The tree said calmly.

"Sir?"

"Yes Harry, I may not look much like myself but I can assure you I am." The tree ruffled a few of its branches to show it was indeed alive. "Now what are you going to do with that sword in your hand?" Harry glanced down at the sword; he had no intention of leaving the office, now that he had found Dumbledore.

"I well, I guess I was going to take it." He knew the answer was lame, but he was unable to lie to a tree.

"Stealing is a very grievous crime, Harry, but I think since you were the original person who found it you may be able to bend the rules slightly. Although I think it best you brought the sword back when you are finished with it." The tree stayed silent, apparently enjoying the breeze.

"Sir, do you know, I mean if this is a Horcrux?"

"Yes, indeed Harry I do know." Again the breeze was the only thing on the tree's mind.

"Can you tell me if it is a Horcrux?" Harry was starting to get impatient.

"Only if you ask the right questions, I seem to have gotten much more finicky in my new form."

"Is the sword a Horcrux?"

"Ah finally a good question, unfortunately I cannot answer it seeing as how you are going to be late in meeting with your other companions. Oh and one more thing, that which you seek is hidden in a house you have visited in your mind. Farewell Harry and I do hope we meet again." With that the sun disappeared in the painting and the tree was plunged into darkness. Harry stared long enough and saw slight movement in the branches, almost as if the tree was breathing in and out.

Kagome grabbed Harry's arm, she sensed if he stayed there any longer he wouldn't be able to leave. Harry fought her for a few seconds, wanting to spend the rest of his days talking to a tree. He finally gave in and allowed Kagome to pull him out of the office.

Outside the door, Harry sank to his knees. He realized he would no longer be able to see his friend again. Harry had accepted Dumbledore's death months ago, but now seeing and speaking to his old headmaster was like being reminded of it all over again. With that Harry realized he hadn't fully accepted Dumbledore's death, nor had the deaths of Sirius and Cedric really sunk in.

It was at that moment Harry felt something run down the side of his face. Moving to swipe at it he realized they were tears.

Kagome didn't know what to do, she knew they were cutting it close on time, and she also knew she couldn't just pick up Harry and go. So she did the only thing she could do in a situation like this.

Harry felt a hard slap on the back of his head, it almost sent him flying forward but he was able to catch himself before he hit the moving staircase.

"Harry whatever your middle name is Potter, there is a time for crying and a time for going out and doing something. If you just sit and cry over not being able to be with a tree then you will be spending your entire life in a forest. I will allow you to compose yourself for three minutes and then we will be off." Kagome then turned her back and allowed the boy behind her some privacy.

Before she knew it, she was being pulled down to the ground. Harry had grabbed her wrist and was pulling her to sit next to him. When she looked over she saw he was laughing, there was still a remnant of water along his cheeks but his face was lit up with silent laughter.

"Boy, I would hate to get on your bad side!" He managed to get out between giggles, Kagome was less than amused, and she was about to get up when he grabbed her again.

Harry had stopped laughing and was gently kissing Kagome's cheek.

"Thanks." He whispered. He wiped his face with the back of his hand and then stood, "Shall we go then?"

Inuyasha was flexing his claws and swinging in the air, to keep himself active while waiting for Kagome. Sesshomaru was simply standing and staring at nothing in particular but casually turning in different directions now and then. Jaken was asleep at his master's feet and Koga was sitting holding his sword out and sharpening it.

Ron was simply trying not to show his complete and utter terror of being trapped in an underground tunnel with three very bored demons. When they heard a crash above them, Ron's heart leapt; finally he would not be stuck alone with four demons.

Harry and Kagome slid down the short decline into the tunnel with the four demons and Ron. Ron had conjured up a small fire and next to that did Harry bring the sword to.

He looked it over trying to see any sign of it holding a piece of Voldemort's soul. The thing looked the same as it did five years ago when Harry pulled it out of the Sorting Hat.

Inuyasha looked interested and walked over to Harry.

"This thing is too heavy." Inuyasha stated when he grabbed the sword out of Harry's hands, "It also has no balance, and its blunt." He brought the sword around his head and struck the rocks with it.

"Hey!" Harry called out, "That sword just happens to belong to one of the founders of this school!"

"It must have been purely ceremonial then." Sesshomaru called out surprising everyone. "Look at the way it sparkles, and," he grabbed the sword from his brother, "It has a crack next to one of these rubies." He pointed it out and Harry leaned in to get a closer look.

"It could be from when I stabbed the basilisk." The demons glanced at him, "a giant snake." Harry explained.

"I would like to see what it is like in combat." Sesshomaru said, in such a bored tone, Harry wondered if he really meant what he said.

Harry raised the sword and tried to get a feel of what the brothers meant when they said the sword was too heavy. Inuyasha thought Harry was challenging him to combat and drew his sword.

The thing grew until it almost tripled in length. Harry's eyes widened. Now he understood why Kagome was worried when she asked if Inuyasha still had his sword (A.N. Harry, Ron, and Hermione have never seen Inuyasha with his sword out since they weren't there for the last battle).

"Let's see what you're made of human." Inuyasha smirked and he started to charge at Harry. Harry closed his eyes but he felt the sword lift from his hands, and another hand pushing him back.

"I never expected you to be as stupid as you are, but then surprises happen every day don't they?" Sesshomaru sneered after the two swords clashed together.

Before Inuyasha started to yell back, Sesshomaru attacked. Sesshomaru grazed Inuyasha's face when he attacked and now blood was dripping onto Gryffindor's blade.

As if feeding on the blood sacrifice the liquid was sucked into the steel and then it vanished. In a split second Sesshomaru had dropped Gryffindor's sword and pulled out his own. A figure grew from the hilt of the blade; it was an older Voldemort, Harry could start to see the red glint in his eyes but his whip thin body was still hidden under black cloaks.

Voldemort picked up the blade and started to attack Inuyasha. The half-demon barely had time to respond the sudden out lash, but was able to block most of Voldemort's thrusts.

Voldemort started to smile but he didn't realize something until it was too late. Sesshomaru breaking from his usual calm lunged forward to the back of Inuyasha's enemy. Harry watched in amazement as the three fought, it was over soon though.

Voldemort, unable to hold off two attacks at once, was able to stop Inuyasha's blow but not Sesshomaru's. As the second the blade went through Voldemort's chest he vanished.

There was a sound above their heads and within seconds Hermione slid down to meet them. As if she didn't notice the two brothers swords raised and Inuyasha with a slash across his face, she simply walked past them.

"Time to go." Hermione said as everyone grabbed for their things.


	29. Chapter Twenty Eight

**Chapter 28**

Harry felt like he had been running forever. His breath came out in ragged, knife like stabs. The demons around him showed no sign of weariness; Koga and Inuyasha were even carrying Hermione and Kagome. Harry saw Ron glance at Koga who was holding a sleeping Hermione on his back.

Just as Harry was about to think they must have been getting close, the tunnel stopped. Harry remembered the age long stairs and they were all about to climb. Hermione and Kagome had awoken and slid off their demon's backs. Hermione and Ron stared at Harry, because they both knew he was the only one who had been down there before.

"We're all the way to Hogsmeade. It should be fine to set up the tent now." Hermione and Ron nodded but Inuyasha seemed doubtful.

"You mean we're setting it up underground? Why can't we go outside?" The hanyou seemed intent on challenging Harry every step of the way.

"Because we're under a wizard shop, right?" Kagome said turning to Harry. He nodded, "And it's the middle of the night, they will probably have some kind of defenses, and we would be stupid right now to let the whole of the village know where we are, right Inuyasha?" Kagome's voice got deadly, because behind her back Inuyasha was making a face at her.

"Right."

At that moment Hermione, Ron, and to Ron's displeasure Koga had finished putting the tent together.

They all went through excited to see what the inside of the tent looked like now. Harry thought the tent hadn't worked when he walked through the flap. Inside it was a giant cave, near the back there were five small boulders.

"OH Yeah!" Koga shouted, his voice echoing on the cavern walls. "I pictured my cave, back home, and this is exactly like it, well except for those over there." He said pointing to the small boulders.

Hermione ran over and started to try and push one of the stones, Koga ran quickly to help her and when he reached the stone he stopped Hermione and held her hand.

"Please lady, allow me." Hermione turned beat red and backed away, but before she could get her hand back, Koga bent down and kissed it.

Harry glanced back at Ron who looked livid, Kagome was muttering something like "oh dear," and Inuyasha looked elated. Harry was just about to ask when he heard a grinding noise behind him.

Koga had moved the small boulder and behind it was a bedroom, Hermione quickly went to the bed and started to push it aside. Koga started to run in, but was stopped when Ron rushed past him and started pushing the bed along with Hermione. Together they were able to move the bed and they found the trapdoor underneath.

Everyone started to pile in and when they were all through the door Harry pulled the canvas through and closed the flap above them.

The scene that met their eyes when they when up the stairs was pure chaos.

When Shippo woke up he found that the perfect place to play was in a joke shop. There were mounds of bright things for him to push and squeeze. He got into the pigmy puffs, glue gum, cement string, and all various kinds of noisemakers. He was stuck inside a gulping jar when Fred and George found him.

The small kit had been playing with what seemed like an empty glass jar until it started to swallow his arm and then his legs and then the rest of his body followed. The jar seemed full, because it couldn't swallow Shippo's head. So there the tiny demon was, stuck inside a jar and yelling at the top of his lungs.

When Fred and George arrived, they couldn't stop laughing. Here was what Harry and Ron called a demon, something very frightening, and it was stuck inside a jar.

The jar proved itself very stubborn. Fred received two bites. One was when he came to close and the jar snapped at his fingers. The other was when Shippo bit him in the leg because he wouldn't stop laughing.

The twins were finally able to extract Shippo from the jar by bribing it with a pigmy puff. When the Kitsune was free he tried to run, but George was able to catch the little demon by the back of his robes.

"We were told to protect you, so you're not going anywhere." Shippo looked at George at first with great innocence, then later with great contempt. When the twins saw what Shippo had done to their shop they decided they would make the kit clean it up.

"Who made all this stuff?" Shippo said, a small bit of awe escaping him, he had never seen a place like this before.

"We did." Fred said, as moved to the back room.

"Then you know how to clean it up!" Shippo yelled.

"Yup, but why should we, you were the one who made the mess." George said with an evil grin. "If you be a good little boy then maybe we'll let you play with some toys." George ended with a singsong chant. Of course he didn't know better and stared swinging his finger in Shippo's face.

Fred saw nothing of what had been going on, his fingers still hurt from the jar but he told himself all in the line of duty. He was putting the jar back, as he heard the scream from the front of the shop.

Fred fell to the floor when he reached the place where the scream happened. George was holding on to his wrist as Shippo was holding onto George's finger, with his teeth. Both George and Shippo stopped what they were doing when they heard a grunt behind them.

George turned, with the Kitsune still attached to his finger and looked at his brother. Tears were rolling down Fred's face when he looked up at the pair.

"I have never seen anything, oh you were holding…." Was all Fred managed to choke out between laughs. George dropped his wrist and lunged at his brother. Within seconds the two were wrestling on the floor.

Shippo took the opportunity to look at more things that interested him. When he found and entire barrel with strange writing on it he decided to investigate. Inside there were thousands of different colored candies.

Shippo was delighted, he unwrapped one and popped it into his mouth. The small demon felt strange, he stared out at the mess around him and then became violently sick over the side of the barrel. Then as soon as it had come it stopped. Shippo shook his head, he felt fine, but then why did he get so sick? He shrugged and started to eat another candy. This time blood poured from his nose and then it instantly stopped. Before he popped another candy in his mouth Shippo grinned evilly, this candy made you sick and then better (A.N. he ate both sides of the candy so he got sick and then already had the antidote), the kit grabbed handfuls of the candy and stuffed it into his pockets. _Oh Inuyasha you're going to pay_ he thought.

He found another barrel but this time it was filled with sticks. He grabbed one and it turned into a duck, another was a sword, another a paper hat. Shippo giggled and never noticed the two fighting at his feet again.

Needless to say when Harry and Ron led the others to the front of the store they didn't expect to see, the two wrestling twins on the floor. Harry and Ron were able to break them up and when they did all four of them burst out laughing.

"Tell us truly, brother," said George, who Ron was holding back, "who was winning?" They all laughed even harder, Fred wiping tears from his eyes.

"Where's Shippo, I can only guess this was his fault." Kagome said her hands on her hips.

"Uh," both twins stared at one another.

The room went silent, until Harry could hear a bang and then someone giggling. They looked over and inside one of the barrels of merchandise Shippo was sitting on top of a thousand different objects ranging from a toy rocking horse and a squeeze doll. The kit was holding a wand and with a bang it turned into a tiny javelin.

Kagome grabbed the Kitsune from the back of the neck and hugged him.


	30. Chapter Twenty Nine

**Chapter 29**

After the commotion calmed down, Harry was found once again in the twins' presence in the small back room. This time however instead of Ron joining him, Kagome volunteered in on the debate.

Ron had wanted to come but when he overheard Koga trying to escort Hermione to her room for a, how Koga put it, a 'thrilling debate' about the differences of his world and hers, he seemed to think the best place for him would be upstairs with Hermione.

Harry honestly didn't mind, the only thing that seemed a setback was they had to explain anything magical to Kagome. He was surprised, however, when she knew more then when they spoke last time.

"Hermione has been telling me things about your world," Kagome replied sheepishly. She had no idea why she was turning red, but she only hoped in the dim light none of the others would notice.

One person did notice, but thankfully George knew when to keep his mouth shut. He wondered what was going on between the two ever since he saw them holding hands, and overheard their 'conversation' in the woods.

"Well I can see you got the sword, but did you run into any of our old friends?" Fred asked, breaking the moment of silence after Kagome's awkward statement.

"We saw Hagrid, Madam Rosmerta, and well that was about it." Harry stared at the table.

"Didn't you go into the office; you know Dumbled- the headmaster's office?" George knew that it was hard for even him to mention Dumbledore's name.

"Yeah, we had to get the sword out of there." Harry's deadpan answer came.

"Harry talked to a painting of a tree, and it gave us some very interesting clues." Fred burst out laughing after this. Harry seemed to wake from his thoughts to look over at the twin.

"Oh that is too good, the man came back as a tree! Oh I bet the others hated that!" Even Harry was confused, but George seemed to connect to what his brother was saying because he soon started laughing as well.

"When the headmaster's die, they come back to give their wisdom to the next headmaster. And Dumbledore came back as a tree!" George was able to control himself only long enough for him to explain to the two non-redheads, but when he reached the end of his short speech he burst out laughing again.

"He probably gave the reason, that when he was headmaster he got tired of only looking at portraits of old men and women!" Fred was able to get out before he started laughing.

Harry now joined in the gaiety along with the twins, he couldn't understand why he had been so sad about Dumbledore's death but now he somehow felt better than he had in the past few hours.

"No he said, he hated to have his portrait done." Kagome had hoped that would calm the boys down but it seemed only to increase their hilarity.

After much laughter and Kagome glaring at every boy in the room and pondering going up to her room, did they settle down.

"Now dear, lady Kagome, what were you saying before we so rudely interrupted you?" Kagome glared at the twin who had taken a mock bow before her, they could be charming when they wanted to, reminding her of a certain monk.

"I was saying the tree," that got a few sniggers, which were cut off prematurely when Kagome threw them all a glower, "it said whatever Harry was seeking was in a house he had been to in his mind." This made all of them very serious. "Harry," she said turning to the boy next to her, "do you thing what that, that tree said was what you saw in the Pensive?"

Harry nodded, perhaps it was good to have Kagome with them, it would have taken him longer to get to the Pensive. He motioned to the twins, "do you guys have a map? We need to find Tom Riddle Senior's house."

"Oh!" Kagome squeaked, the other three stared at her.

"What?"

"I just, no wait, well maybe…" Kagome seemed not to notice she was not making any sense. She got up and ran out of the room. Harry turned to Fred and George, they both shrugged.

"I don't know anything about girl troubles, mate." Said one of the twins, they didn't have to wait long before Kagome came back.

"Is everything ok?" Harry said staring at Kagome very apprehensive.

"Yes, well, I mean, I guess…. Yes I'm fine." Kagome said realizing she was sounding like a complete idiot. She smoothed out the paper she was carrying and let it fall on the table.

The boys watched Kagome as her nose bent down and searched the map in front of her.

"Aha!" She shouted in triumph. "There see," she pointed at a place on the map, the three others leaned in to see what she was pointing at.

Right next to her finger Harry was able to read small writing stating: Historical Society: The Riddle House. Harry was impressed with Kagome's memory to find the spot so readily.

When he was about to congratulate her, his eyes fell on the prophecy they discovered last time the map was out.

"Kagome," he said harshly, "did you get a different map?"

"No, why?" Kagome looked at the person sitting next to her in alarm.

"Because it changed." Was all he said as Kagome looked down and saw he was right. "One of you better get Hermione. She may be able to read this." Harry said quickly, and by the tone of his voice both twins got up and left to find Hermione.

"Harry, I can read this part, it's in Japanese." Kagome whispered. She seemed frightened of something, her face had gone pale and a slight sweat beaded up on her neck and cheeks. Harry tried to comfort her by taking her hand as it lay limply on the table. Harry had seen Kagome only once before like this, it was on the first day they met next to the cemetery.

"It says _An unspeakable power will arise before it is finished, for Good, For Evil none will know until it has been diminished._" Kagome stopped reading, Harry still holding her hand tight. When the door banged open he slid their clasped fingers under the table, but refused to let go.

Hermione went instantly to the map, she studied it, and then turned to the others.

"This half is purely Ancient Runes, I can read this without a book. It says _Good cannot exist with evil lost, one cannot replace the other at any cost_."

"So it reads:

_An unspeakable power will arise before it is finished,_

_For Good, For Evil none will know until it has been diminished,_

_Good cannot exist with evil lost,_

_One cannot replace the other at any cost_."

Kagome intoned over the silent crowd in the room they were all occupied in.

Everyone stayed silent for a while as the seriousness melted over them. Then there was a crash above their heads and then silence. Inuyasha's voice rang out over the hushed people downstairs.

"Damn kid!"

The silence rang over the group again, then all at once they started laughing. Harry wondered why it felt so good to laugh at the breadth of the power facing them, but when he thought of Shippo pulling some crazy prank on Inuyasha and the hanyou chasing him he just started to laugh.

Shippo did indeed play a trick on Inuyasha. Apparently he got a hold of one of Fred and George's fake wands, but Shippo had 'improved' it.

He hid the wand under Inuyasha's seat in the corner of their room so when the hanyou went to it he was forced to reach under the mat to find out what was sticking him.

When the others made it to their room they found a very grumpy Inuyasha sitting on top of a giant, purple Pigmy Puff, who apparently loved the warm thing above it, and was purring quite loudly.

Fred, Kagome, Hermione, and Harry all fell to the floor, their legs unable to hold them up after the tremendous bout of laughter they were all experiencing. They were soon joined by Ron, Koga, and a very disgruntled Sesshomaru. Koga and Ron soon followed suit and fell to the floor like the others and even Sesshomaru had a tiny smile escape his lips.

George, the only one who was able to keep his cool, pointed his wand at the pigmy puff. The thing shrank to its normal size, but it didn't disappear. The puff snuggled up to Inuyasha's cheek and finally ended up in the crook of Inuyasha's neck.

Inuyasha was livid, his face was redder than the robes he wore. He started to grab at the pigmy puff but it scooted away from his claws and hid at the base of his neck under his head. Inuyasha turned and looked at all the figures in the door, well at the foot of the door, daring them to laugh at him.

They dared.


	31. Chapter Thirty

**A note from your Author:** I don't own Inuyasha or Harry Potter. On with the story!

**Chapter 30**

It took a while for things to settle down, but when Harry finally lay his head down to sleep, it only seemed like he just closed his eyes and he was being roughly awoken.

"OH HARRY, you're alive!" Harry had barely any time to see what was going on because he was soon stuck under a crushing hug, he thought even though he had been alive while he was sleeping, the figure who was crushing the air out of his throat would soon kill him.

"Whaddisgoinon?" Ron said as he held his head up, hair sticking in all directions.

"RONALD!" The figure turned on Ron and much to Harry's relief released him and hugged Ron. From a distance Harry could see their attacker was Mrs. Weasley, he figured since they would be staying a while the twins must have contacted their mother.

"Urg, Mum you're crushing me." Ron did seem like he was being crushed, his face was turning purple, which clashed with his hair.

"Wha…." Koga almost finished his sentence before Mrs. Weasley turned on him.

"Oh, I don't know who you are but if you kept these boys safe then thank you, thank you, thank you." She ran over and hugged Koga.

Now the wolf king had seen his share of demons, monsters, and he had even fought along side the others in the final battle against Naraku. When he met Mrs. Weasley that day he was more frightened than all of those times before. She hugged the demon tightly, not knowing exactly what or who he was but thanking him all the same.

As soon as it had come, it was over. When Mrs. Weasley went to the door she turned and saw all three boys clutching their throats and looking feebly at each other. She couldn't help but smile, these two boys were her sons, and she was finally able to be with them for what little time she had.

"Breakfast will be ready whenever you get up, so sleep as long as you can." She only smiled and turned to close the door.

When Harry was finally able to pull himself out of bed and make it down the hall, (A.N. There are a few rooms upstairs which were mostly store rooms which the twins changed into temporary bedrooms, along with a small kitchen.) and found the kitchen was in use but there were no people in it. He made his way down the back staircase, following the sound of voices. The entire company, including a grumbling Sesshomaru, and an irate Inuyasha, the pigmy puff was still attached to him, were all settled in the main area of the shop.

Harry, like Mrs. Weasley before him, had to just stop and watch everyone. They all seemed so happy for the few brief seconds they had. Harry realized he was tired. He wanted to join the festivities but seeing them all happy was something that seemed to zap all the energy out of him. Unfortunately an arm grabbed him from behind and dragged him into the small room where the new prophecy was revealed.

Kagome had been feeling the same as Harry, and when she saw him starting to make his way up to his bedroom she knew the best thing for them was to talk it out.

"Hey, Harry." She said sitting down at the table. Harry followed suit and sat next to her.

"Listen I know we're both feeling the same thing, so it would probably be better if we just talked about it. I mean, um, I'm a very good listener." Kagome didn't want to impose on the person sitting near her, but she could tell he really needed to talk.

"It's like I can't help but wonder, what would the world be like if Voldemort or Naraku never showed up? We would be able to be friends without any consequence, we would be able to relax and have fun without worrying if we would all be killed in a few minutes." Harry threw his head into his hands, "and I would be able to go home after a school year and see my parents." He mumbled into his palms.

"Yes, that's all well and good and all, but if none of this bad stuff had happened then I would have had a very lonely life." Harry looked up in surprise at Kagome. "I wouldn't have gone back to the feudal era, because there would be no Naraku to fight, and then I wouldn't have been drawn to you because Voldemort didn't exist. I found something in myself when I was in the past, I would never change from my normal timid self if I hadn't been forced to…. well to live. We have to move forward, just like I must keep honor in my friends even though they're dead and I have to accept that. It's the same with your parents, they wouldn't want you to just stay there and try to imagine what it would be like with them, they want you to live. The good, the bad, it all comes with the package. I guess that's all I really have to say." Kagome knew the consequences if she stayed, so the next noise in the room was the scraping of her chair and the door closing quietly.

Harry sat there for a while and realized what Kagome said was exactly true. He knew he couldn't forget his past entirely but he also couldn't just sit there and not enjoy the present no matter how bad it was.

In a few seconds after this revelation Harry went out and joined the others, pretending he had just awoken like the rest of them. He had to endure another massive hug from Mrs. Weasley, his arm was almost shaken off when Mr. Weasley took a hold of his hand, and then they all had to suffer the taunting of the two twins who did a very good impression of Mrs. Weasley trying to hug Harry and Harry trying to run away.

It took a few hours, and a few small 'demonstrations' of the twins' magic and Shippo's talent, before everything settled down. Both Fred and George were fascinated with Shippo's, whatever he had, and they instantly broke off to speak to the Kitsune about working with them on a few 'projects.'

When the twins left to speak with Shippo, everyone paired off to spend the day either in London or in the confines of Diagon Alley. Koga tried to get Hermione's attention to try and get her alone but he was sadly disappointed when Ron turned up and Hermione tried to get Harry's attention.

The three old friends left Fred and George's promising they would return before nightfall to a worrying Mrs. Weasley.

"Blimey, she's getting soft," as Ron clutched his throat after his mother bid them a tearful goodbye. "She never let us go out by ourselves before."

"You have to look at if from her perspective, Ron." Said Hermione as she led the way to the main street of Diagon Alley, "she allowed you to go and fight Voldemort, and you came back alive. She's now trying to tell herself she was wrong not to believe in you and is trying to make it up before you leave again. Because as much as she hates it, she still has the nagging feeling you won't come home, and that just makes her feel worse."

"Yeah, because she doesn't want me to die," Ron said trying to take hold of the conversation.

"No, because she feels guilty of not trusting you, Ron she wants to believe you are a great wizard, but she can't get over the feeling that you may die." Ron and Harry exchanged a confused look. Hermione started to go on but Ron stopped her.

"I told you," he said turning to Harry, "at Hogwarts they should have had a class about how girl's minds work." Harry laughed and Hermione just rolled her eyes.

She glanced behind them and then hurriedly guided them into a restaurant.

"Let's eat here." She said as if nothing had happened. The tired wizard at the bar seemed happy just to see some customers, because the entire place was dead. He led them to a table in the back, at Hermione's request and brought them three glasses of water.

"Let's just have a little explanation of what just happened there." Ron said jabbing his thumb at the door.

"What, oh nothing I just felt like sitting down." Hermione said dismissively, Harry, who was facing the window, saw a very confused Koga turning in small circles looking for something.

"Wouldn't have anything to do with a certain demon would it?" He asked teasing Hermione.

She blushed and said, "he won't leave me alone, I have told him no a thousand times but that just makes him even more energized, I honestly don't know what to do with him." She shook her head and looked over at the person sitting next to her (Ron).

"Why don't you just make out with that lump in front of him?" Harry said indicating to Ron who was engrossed in the menu to even listen to the hushed conversation going on next to him.

"Well, um would that, well ah work?" For the first time Harry saw Hermione did not know something. She had no idea what to do to get rid of Koga.

"Yeah." Harry didn't feel like rubbing it into her face that she, the star student, didn't know an answer to something. They put their heads together and plotted when the best time was for Harry to 'accidentally' lead the wolf to Ron and his room, to find the couple. It was only when all was decided did one of the key players in the scheme, Ron, looked up.

"What're you guys talking about?" He said glancing curiously at the two inclined heads.

"Politics." Harry said quickly looking at Hermione, she smiled back at him and they both started to laugh. Ron simply stared at his demented friends (A.N. I don't own _Little Miss Sunshine_, but I do strongly suggest for all of you to watch it).

"So why did you want to get us out of the house? Apart from trying to get away from my brothers that is."

"Well, I think we should prepare for finding the next Horcrux." After some explaining Harry was able to tell Hermione, mostly what she already knew, and Ron the events of the last night.

"We know where the house is but is the Horcrux there?" Hermione wondered out loud.

"No, I don't think he would have hidden it there, I think it is somewhere else, but near to the Riddle house." Harry concluded, it must be at the Gaunt house, the small shack Harry visited quite a few times with Dumbledore in the pensive.

"Now the next decision is when do we leave?" Hermione seemed to know the best time to say things; she waited long enough for after Harry's speech, and then jumped into another topic.

"As soon as possible, I guess." Harry said shrugging, he knew it would be hard on the twins and Ron's parents but they needed to get all of the Horcruxses before Voldemort noticed they were all gone.

"I think we can afford a few days." Hermione said matter-of-factly.

"But what if, you know more Horcruxses are made?" Harry said leaning in as the waiter passed to fill their glasses.

"I hope the weather is clearing up soon," Ron said turning to the waiter engaging him in conversation. The other two didn't notice this, but Ron could see the wizard edging closer and closer to their conversation, and when he was filling the glasses, he took and abnormally long time.

"Yes, yes, that is my hope as well, sir." The waiter seemed flustered and left to the bar.

"We shouldn't stay long." Ron muttered to the other two. They spoke for a while longer, now about nothing but fake schoolwork, the hope their break was longer, and classes they hated.

After twenty minutes they left the bar paying for the water, and turning on the street. Harry and Ron were about to turn back to the Weasley's when Hermione stated she wanted to look at shops in the other direction.

"He may follow us." She said quietly, this was one time when Harry wished he had a demon with them, they had unnatural hearing abilities and were also a formidable opponent.

As if on command Koga showed up out of nowhere, a frown on his face. He threw his arm around Hermione and started talking loudly.

"Hey babe, I'm sorry I'm late, I was stuck in my advanced fighting class. Yeah my sparring partner had to go to the healers but everything should be fine in a few days." Harry had no idea what was going on, but then Koga bent down and whispered to them, "there's a guy who has been following you ever since you left that bar. Keep walking like nothing is happening." In a louder voice he called out, "Well I better be going, I can't stay away from home forever." With that the demon disappeared.

The three companions kept walking, and suddenly they heard a thump and a groan behind them.

"You trying to hurt my girl buddy?" Koga was holding the bartender's arms behind his back as he threw his threats in his ear. The bartender just uttered incoherent mumblings as Koga tightened his grip. "Lets just go back to your bar and let my girl go on her way, shall we?" Koga seemed not to give the bartender a choice since he simply turned around and started to push the waiter back to the bar.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked back to the Weasley's shop and they were soon caught up by Koga.

"Well, that was fun." He said winking at Hermione and put his arm around her waist. Ron looked absolutely livid.


	32. Chapter Thirty One

**Chapter 31**

When Hermione was able to unclasp her waist from Koga's grip they went up to Ron and Harry's room to finish their conversation.

"Harry, I know you think Voldemort is going to make more Horcruxses, but you have to think of it from his point. The only soul he has to work with is one seventh of a whole soul, its hard enough breaking a whole soul in half, but breaking one seventh?" Harry agreed, wishing he had thought of that himself.

They decided to leave in five days, and when Harry got to the door he turned back and saw Hermione grabbing a hold of Ron's hand.

Harry grinned and closed the door, he would let the two have some privacy before he went to get Koga.

"What are you smiling about?" A familiar voice questioned, as a familiar face glance at him from across the hall.

"Progress," Harry could have laughed at the sight on Kagome's face if he could have made a noise, but he wanted to give the couple behind the door as much time alone as he could.

"What do you mean by that?" Kagome said, her eyes narrowing.

"Escaped from the dangerous clutches of Inuyasha, have you? Or are you just jealous his new love is cuter than you?" He teased drawing closer to Kagome.

"Oh, are you thinking I'm jealous, I'll show you how jealous I am." Kagome said loving the game, "or perhaps I just haven't seen the light and it took you to show it to me. This I thank you from the bottom of my heart Mr. Potter." She stepped closer their noses almost brushing.

"And what light would that be Miss. Higurashi?" Said Harry, wishing he could lean in even closer.

"That it takes a real man to-" Kagome was cut off by the sound of someone climbing the stairs, Harry reluctantly pulled away and allowed Kagome to fix her hair.

Koga stared at the two in the hallway, it wasn't hard to tell they had certain feelings for one another, not that Koga cared, and they could go with his blessing. He only had eyes for one girl now.

Before Harry could stop Koga, the demon opened the door to his and Ron's room and went inside. Harry groaned and turned back to Kagome.

"You might want to fix that blush, just there." He said leaning in, his nose now touching hers and poked her cheek, she blushed even harder; Harry just smiled and walked off.

When he walked into the room the sight he saw seemed to be in freeze frame. Trying his hardest not to laugh, turn red, and look at the couple on one of the beds he grabbed Koga and pulled him out the door.

It seemed that when Harry said make out with Ron, Hermione took it one step further. The two were lying on one of the beds, seemingly halfway through an amazing snogging session. Thankfully they were both fully clothed, but they were fully embarrassed as well.

All in all it had been a very eventful day, and when evening came Koga went to sleep in Inuyasha and Shippo's room and Harry decided to not give his friend a hard time about what was witnessed a few hours prior.

After four days the last night approached before they were to board the bus that would get them to the Riddle house. The plan was they were going to be posing as a group of muggles on holiday taking a sightseeing tour of historical places in Britain. They also decided for safety reasons they wouldn't go as a huge group but in twos and threes. Ron and Koga would be in one group, and Hermione, Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, and Jaken would be in another. On a different bus, provided by the same tour group would be Harry, Kagome and Shippo all in one group.

Hermione was able to shrink all the demons' ears and make them look more human. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha's hair provide a problem; neither demon would allow Hermione to change it, so much to their displeasure they were put in the same group.

Hermione also thought it would be a good idea to have all the demons have at least one human companion and British citizen, so they would know the lay of the land better than if the demons were on their own. This is why Harry was on a different bus, and Ron was stuck without Hermione and with Hermione's ex-admirer. Another person not to happy with the surroundings was Inuyasha, he tried to trust Kagome but when he couldn't see her on his bus it made him anxious.

The truth was nothing really happened, both Harry and Kagome stared out the window listening to the tour guide drone on and on with Shippo sound asleep on Kagome's lap. Kagome found the tour fascinating, and although Harry wouldn't admit it, he found it dull. He feigned interest for the girl sitting across from him but mentally he was fighting dragons, or playing Quidditch.

The best part of the tour for all of the groups was when the busses rested in a small village and they all stopped for lunch. The three collections of demons and humans made their way to different areas of the village for lunch. None of them could blow their cover by speaking to one another, but Inuyasha tried as hard as he could to get to Kagome. It wasn't until Sesshomaru 'accidentally' kicked him did the hanyou stop.

"They're fine," Sesshomaru muttered under his breath, "Shippo is with them."

It really didn't make a difference whether Shippo was with the two or not. The Kitsune preferred Harry to Inuyasha and even started making comments about Kagome dumping the hanyou and taking Harry instead.

"I mean, come on, Kagome. _Harry_ doesn't pick on me, that means he's good with children. I also think that if _Harry_ were to discipline a kid instead of yelling and hitting, like someone else, he would give them candy." Shippo seemed to make up his mind here and there, so he ran out to chase a butterfly.

"He has a very good point, you know." Harry said, turning to tease Kagome some more.

"Oh well, he just knows if I start hanging out with you then he won't be hit as much," Kagome said with a wave of her hand, "I don't think he takes into account my personal feelings."

"Oh and what would those personal feelings be, Miss. Higurashi?" Harry said leaning in even closer and watching her squirm.

They both waited for Kagome to come up with a good answer, but before she could say anything the tour bus sounded its horn.

"I guess we better get going." Kagome said she was reluctant to leave the comfort of that sunny slope, sitting so near to the one she… _stop!_ the voice yelled _you have to make a decision, one or the other_. With that in mind Kagome stopped paying attention to the tour bus and started thinking about her problem.

Kagome sat and thought so long she didn't realize when Harry was shaking her shoulder.

"Come on time to go." Kagome got up, grabbed her bag and started following Harry. Shippo had decided the best place to sleep was in Harry's lap, so the boy who lived had the awkward responsibility of carrying the kit to their hotel. The stop was conveniently located in the town which was the place of the Riddle house, the entire group would take a tour of the house the next day, but Harry, Ron and to his displeasure Sesshomaru would leave the village that night and try and be back at daybreak.

When they reached the hotel room Harry carefully lay Shippo on one of the pillows and set his bag at the end of the bed. Kagome followed him and stood at the doorway looking over as Harry unloaded his pack.

"You know, he's right, you really are good with kids." She commented as she fell onto the other bed.

"Nah, I know a house-elf who's just like, no wait Dobby's nothing like Shippo, but they both know how to cause trouble. So I guess I know how to deal with Dobby and Shippo is a lot easier," Harry said running his hands over the back of his head. He looked down sheepishly at the floor and then up at Kagome. He then had a sudden urge to ask her something. "Kagome," why was he nervous? "Kagome, would you wait up for me? I mean, it would be nice to come home to someone and tell them about my day, and well, um I guess I've never had that. I know this really isn't a place to call home, but will you wait up for me?" Harry felt he had never been more nervous in his life.

"Sure." Harry glanced up at the girl sitting on the bed, and for some reason he couldn't understand she had turned beat red.

"Come on love birds, we don't have all night." Ron said as he walked through the door.

"How'd you get in here?" Harry questioned as Sesshomaru followed Ron through the doorway.

"Fred and George," Ron said as he held up a paperclip, "Well come on lets have ourselves an adventure."

**A note from your Author:** One thing I really hate is in the Harry Potter movies Ron is portrayed as this scared little kid who wimpers and almost wets his pants. ENOUGH! Thank you.


	33. Chapter Thirty Two

**Chapter 32**

The three walked in almost complete silence as they left the small village. The sun was just setting so they were able to find their way up to the Riddle house. It took a while for Harry to find what he was looking for, a path that had been unused for over fifty years.

They picked their way along the path for a few miles until in the dim light they were able to see it.

A dilapidated house stood exactly as Harry remembered it, there were only a few differences: the grass had grown so tall it was almost waist length, there was moss covering practically evey side of the pathetic structure, and the shady tree which once stood over the dwelling now crushed part of the left corner.

"C'mon it should be in here." Harry said leading the way. As his foot crossed the gate there was a popping sound and the ground was soon covered in snakes.

Sesshomaru easily jumped up on the tree pulling his sword out, Ron who hadn't crossed the threshold stayed safely on the path but Harry had no such luck. The snakes started to ensnare his ankles and he could feel one starting to slowly climb up his back.

"_Stop_," Harry could feel the Parseltongue flowing from his lips, "_Stop, I order you to stay aside_." The snakes paused in their ascent up Harry's back and Sesshomaru's tree.

"_I am the King of the serpents, and we answer to none but the Dark Lord_." A giant python emerged from the house staring straight at Harry. "_Why should we answer to you_?"

"_Because I am one of the few who speak your language, I don't care what you do as long as you don't hurt any of my friends_," Here Harry indicated to Sesshomaru and Ron.

"_But that one has a sword, how do we know you do not wish to hurt us_?" The snake wheezed out.

"_If anything happens to anyone of you I give you my word you can have me instead of them_." Harry knew he was taking a risk, but he couldn't think of any other choice.

"_Done_," The snake king said, with that all the snakes seemed to fall away from the two, "_We can promise one other thing Son of Slytherin, the thing which you seek is very hard to get to, swear us something and we will give it to you_." Harry was just about to agree when Hermione's voice came into his head, "use your reason."

"_What do you ask in return_?" Harry knew the snake only wanted him to say yes, and was disappointed when he asked more questions.

"_Set us free, we are in bondage to the Dark Lord and we were never creatures who were created to be slaves, set us free Son of Slytherin, and we will forever be in your debt_." Harry knew he was taking a risk agreeing with the snakes, but if they stayed true then he would have a great ally in the King of all serpents. Harry could also sense a different feeling in the king's tone; it was begging Harry to free them not for the sake of a deal, but for their lives.

"_I agree, I will hold you to your word_." He then turned to Sesshomaru and Ron, "It's fine, and you can come down, just don't step or hurt any one of the snakes." He turned to the snake king, "_lead the way, if you please_." He said with a short bow, the snake bowed its head in return and slithered off.

Ron followed close to Sesshomaru who was sheathing his sword. "Blimey it always creeps me out when he talks like that." He whispered to the demon next to him, and against his better judgment Sesshomaru agreed.

They followed the python not into the house, but around the corner and to the back where a small hole was carved into the foundation of stone.

"_Please wait here Son of Slytherin_." The python slithered away and into the hole.

They waited and waited, Ron found a rock and taking turns with Harry every once and a while they sat on it. Sesshomaru stayed as rooted as ever, his eyes glancing in all directions.

After about an hour the snake came out, it turned around and pulled out a golden goblet from the hole.

"_There are heavy enchantments on it Son of Slytherin_," said the snake as it presented the goblet to Harry, "_But if you allow me, I saw the Dark Lord work past the magic once before_," Without waiting for a yes or no from Harry the python spit three drops of venom into the goblet.

The cup soon became white hot and it burned at Harry's fingers. He was about to drop it when the python yelled out.

"_Don't drop it Son of Slytherin! Keep ahold of it as tightly as you can_!"

The cup started to vibrate so badly Harry thought he was going to drop it despite the snake's warnings.

As soon as it had come it left, the cup was cold in Harry's burnt hands, and it lay still in his palm. Harry was about to drop it when the python stopped him.

"_It's just a trick, if you drop it now the thing inside will come out and kill us all. Hold on Son of Slytherin! the worst is still yet to come_!" As soon as the snake spoke it, the cup started to shoot out sparks, a few of them hit Harry's coat which burst into flame, most of them were aimed at the house, which started to burn. The cup started to scream.

"DROP ME! FOR THE LOVE OF WHAT IS GOOD DROP ME! YOU'RE KILLING ME!" The cup continued to scream at a higher and higher pitch but soon stopped.

This time the cup did not stop in an instant. It changed from burning to freezing in seconds, until it got so hot the gold started to melt into Harry's fingers. Then slowly the cup began to cool, and the gold started to form back to its original shape. The clearing quieted down, the mixture of the goblet and Harry's screams now dying down.

"_It is dead, tell your wizards to put the fire out before the muggles start to come here_." Harry did as the snake commanded him, Ron ran to put out the flames grateful he was able to get away from the Parseltongue. "_Now, to make sure you keep your end of the bargain_."

Harry and Sesshomaru watched in amazement, though the demon didn't show it, as the snake engorged and grew into a human. He looked as if he was only fifteen or sixteen with dark hair that fell in front of his eyes. Strong arms grew out of a thin tunic, and equally strong legs grew under long pants. The figure was whip thin, and like Sesshomaru, he seemed poised and ready for action at any second. What amazed Harry was he looked like such a normal kid, his hazel eyes peeked out of his messy hair, but Harry could also tell this was a person he didn't want to cross.

"Are you an Animagus?" Harry said tentatively.

"No, I am not human, I am King of the Serpents, and this gives me a human form and an animal form. All races of creature have a ruler and all rulers have this power." The boy didn't look like a king, but when he spoke and when he moved Harry believed without a doubt he was a sovereign.

"What's your name?" Harry questioned.

"I have no name your companions can pronounce, however you may call me Kagachi."

Harry caught the eye of Sesshomaru as the demon had a small smile cross his face.

"Kagachi is Japanese for Serpent, but it's only used in some of the old poems. Very clever," he said turning to Kagachi, "however there are other Japanese speakers in our company so I think the best name for you is Chi." Sesshomaru seemed to decide for Kagachi, but the snake king seemed to not really care. Since Chi decided he was going to go with them Harry started to explain what was going to happen.

"Chi," the boy turned to him, "you'll go with Ron, and stay with him and Koga. If anyone asks you're spending time with your older brother, that'll be Koga." Chi bowed to Harry.

"I will do as you ask Son of Slytherin."

"Chi, can I ask one favor?" The boy's eyes flashed dangerously, he hated having to serve this thing standing in front of him, but a deal is a deal.

"Can you call me Harry? The whole Son of Slytherin thing is going to get old." Harry was still afraid of the snake king who stood before him, the snake king however was trying not to be livid. _Who wouldn't want to carry the name of Slytherin?_ But then he realized the Dark Lord wore the name proudly.

"Yes, of course Harry." It was only then, when Ron returned and they started back to the hotel did Harry realize most of the skin had been burned off his hands. He struggled to stay conscious, and he was able to make it all the way to the hotel but the last thing he remembered was Kagome's excited face when he walked through the door.

Kagome had stayed up all night waiting for Harry to return. She knew how much it meant to him to come back and she was there waiting. When Harry's form entered into the room she didn't expect to see the burns covering his hands, Sesshomaru offered to call Hermione but Kagome refused.

Harry awoke to find himself in the bathroom soaking in hot water. Whoever had put him there had taken most of his clothes, his shoes, sweatshirt, jacket and tee-shirt. His soaked jeans weighed his legs down, where his sleeveless arms floated to the surface. Thinking of his arms made Harry think of his hands, which were lazily bobbing at the top of the water.

As he turned to gaze at his palms he saw they were bright pink but there was new skin growing over the surface, but the skin was fresh and new. It was wasn't firm but soft, and all the calluses Harry had built up just from use were gone. This was brand new skin. He found out though it wasn't done healing, however, when he poked his palm, both his palm and his finger started to bleed.

"Harry?" Kagome peeked around the corner of the door to find the boy looking at his bleeding finger.

"Oh!" She quickly ran over and cupped her hands around his. There was a light pink glow surrounding their clasped fingers and the blood was soon gone. "I was going to tell you your hands are still healing and the new skin is still to thin to allow any trauma." She scolded, Harry could tell through her eyes she was relieved he came back only hurting his hands.

Harry started to stand but slipped and would have fallen if Kagome hadn't caught him just in time. They stood there in that awkward position for only a moment before Kagome was able to pull both of them up. Only when Harry was standing all by himself did he notice he wasn't wearing anything but pants. Kagome seemed to notice this as well because she quickly went to get a towel to hide her red face.

"Kagome," He had followed her out of the bathroom and to the closet across the short hall. "You can just hand me my wand and clean clothes and I can do the rest." There they stood one holding a towel and the other dripping wet.

She handed him everything he needed and went back to pacing the room outside the bathroom. She heard a few curses and then a splash. She was about to see what happened when the door of the bathroom opened.

Harry was wearing dry clothes, but the top of his shirt and head was dripping wet.

"I slipped and my head fell into the tub." He said trying not to look in her eyes. His hair gently dripped on his nose and then on his shirt. Kagome tried not to laugh as she got a new towel. She pushed Harry into a chair and threw the towel over his face.

"Just sit there and don't touch your hands, it took more than half of my energy to try and heal you last night." A comfortable silence settled between the two as Kagome dried Harry's head and Harry thought about nothing in particular. "By the way, Kagome said breaking the silence, "where did you get all of those scars?"

Harry couldn't look up at her, but wondered what on earth she was taking about.

"Like this one," she traced up Harry's arm where Wormtail had stabbed him, "or this," that one was on his back, where the dragon had bitten him, "or this is the most curious one," She traced the medium sized diamond shape in Harry's shoulder.

"Oh, that was when I was bitten by a giant snake. That" he said moving her fingers gently so as not to make his hands bleed, "was from when I was caught by a dragon, and this," he said moving her hand again "was when I was stabbed by one of Voldemort's followers. Wait how'd you know exactly where they were? Were you spying on me when I was sleeping?" He teased.

"I did not! Ron was there the entire time; he was even the one who put you in the tub!" Her hands yanked away from his, and of course the sudden energy made even more cuts on Harry's palms, which made Kagome angry and Harry laugh.

"Oh I wish Hermione were here then she would be able to fix those stupid hands! And for your information Mr. Potter, you fell on me!" She yelled as she went to the bathroom and closed the door.

Seconds later she came out and grabbed Harry's hands the faint pink glow returned and his palms were as good as new-ish. She had also grabbed a first aid kid and was starting to gauze up his palms and fingers.

"There that should hold until the others can get back. You slept so late they all went on the tour without us." She said before Harry could ask. Bandaging his hands seemed to calm her down, Harry instantly felt bad for joking earlier.

"Kagome…." He didn't know what to say but when he saw her eyes he knew all was forgiven. "You waited up for me." He said brightening. Before she could even speak he told her everything. From the second he left to the second he got back.

"Oh so that's what this thing is for." Kagome said as she walked away to a nightstand next to one of the beds. She came back holding Huffelpuff's goblet, "A young man came here and gave it to me, he said 'we are on the same tour bus, are we not?' and I said I wasn't sure because I had never seen him before and he said 'my roommate Koga must have switched bags, I believe this is yours.' And I took it, all that was inside was that goblet and a few pillows."

"Oh that must have been Chi, he's the king of the serpents. He and I made a bargain, he would help me and I would release him from Voldemort." Harry loved being able to sit and talk with someone he genuinely cared about. Ron and Hermione were very good friends but they couldn't offer what Kagome offered.

"C'mon lets go and eat." Kagome said careful to take Harry's elbow.

They spent a blissful day together and when Shippo returned Harry wished for the thousandth time that things could stay the same always.

But as heroic tales go that of course doesn't happen.

**A note from your Author:**I think in this chapter Harry really realizes what it means to be fighting against Voldemort. Against his better judgment he makes a pact with a Serpent King because he knew what it is like to serve under a dictator. I think he also accepts, though not fully, that his parsletongue can be helpful.


	34. Chapter Thirty Three

**Chapter 33**

Because they still hadn't seen Hermione, Harry was forced to wear gloves all throughout dinner. Late that night there was a soft knock at the door which turned out to be Hermione. She walked in talking about the tour, but as soon as the door was closed along with the shades she pulled out her wand and pointed it at Harry's hands.

The bandages fell off to reveal Harry's pink fingers. Hermione did a complicated wave with her wand and the skin started to turn back to Harry's normal color. To make sure she had fixed it he poked his skin. No blood poured out but it still hurt.

"Thanks." Hermione smiled and turned back to the door, when she reached it she started talking about the tour again and walked back down the hall.

Kagome stayed in the corner staring out the window.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Harry said walking over to her. He was taken aback when he saw tears rolling down her face.

"Its, just I can't do anything can I?" She moved away from the window and lay face down on the bed. Harry moved to sit next to her as she cried into the pillow. "I spent hours trying to fix your hands and she, she comes in and fixes it in seconds." Kagome started to rant getting angrier and angrier. She froze when arms moved around her waist and shoulders.

Harry said nothing but held her tightly, within seconds Kagome was calm under his touch.

"She didn't do much, all she did was thicken my skin, _you_ were the one who made it grow back." Harry whispered, after that the pair stayed silent, quietly falling asleep enjoying having the company.

When Kagome woke the next morning she saw Harry and Shippo eating and watching cartoons on the television. When she got up and saw what they were eating, and knew in an instant why Shippo loved Harry more than Inuyasha. It seemed the pair had gone early to the breakfast the hotel provided, and got everything and anything covered in sugar.

Harry glanced sheepishly up at Kagome as Shippo started to grab for another doughnut.

"Whatever, I don't care, just remember he's" she pointed at Shippo, "your responsibility for the day." Harry only smiled back, grateful he hadn't gotten yelled at.

As Kagome walked to the bathroom to get ready for her shower she looked back to see the two boys arguing over which superhero was greater on the show they were watching. It was then Kagome knew the answer to her decision.

Most of the rest of the day was spent on the bus, half way through the day, however, all chaos broke loose. Harry was trying his hardest to get Shippo to calm down on the way to the bus, but the sugar high had kicked in. It was only until Harry challenged the Kitsune to a coloring contest did the demon settle down. When Shippo was scribbling with all his might Harry mouthed a 'thank you' to Kagome, for she provided the coloring books, over Shippo's head. Midway through his fourth picture Shippo dropped his crayon and fell face first into his drawing. Harry started to panic but Kagome only laughed.

"I was wondering how long it would take." She said, as Harry frantically tried to revive the kit. When the other passengers started to stare she looked up and said "Sugar rush." All the mothers nodded in recognition.

"You knew this was going to happen?" Harry looked up at her.

"Yeah, but I didn't think he would last this long. I figured he would pass out right before we boarded the bus but you guys must have pigged out more than I thought." She laughed at him. He only stuck his tongue at her and went back to his coloring.

_Yes I'll have to tell him_ _soon, I'm going to miss smiling like this_. Kagome thought sadly.

The real problem came later, when they were crossing a giant field on their way to some town in the north. Harry, Kagome and Shippo knew nothing of what happened but the bus before him was in an uproar.

It seemed Inuyasha with his superior hearing abilities overheard some guy asking Ron and Koga who the girl was sharing a room with Harry. Before waiting to think about how this boy knew about Harry and without remembering he had come on with Koga saying he was Koga's brother, Inuyasha turned and yelled at the young man who dared to threaten Kagome.

The boy of course was Chi and being a king of anything makes you a tad bit more confident than other normal people. Chi didn't feel the need to yell back at Inuyasha he just raised a fist and punched the hanyou across the face.

Subsequently both groups were kicked off the bus and Harry and Kagome were forced to watch them as the bus drove past, Shippo was still sleeping off his sugar. Before knowing what she was doing Kagome grabbed Harry's face and started to make out with him like there was no tomorrow.

Mutterings cropped up all around them, until the original wish of Kagome's plan was achieved. The bus slowed to a stop and the tour guide walked back and kindly told them if they weren't going to pay attention to the trip then they would have to leave.

Kagome put on a wonderful show of being apologetic and embarrassed and she cleaned up Shippo's coloring things all the while saying she was sorry and telling Harry to get the bags down.

When Harry was at the front of the bus, just as he was getting off, he swore he heard somebody whispering.

"I bet that's how they had the first one." Harry was able to make it out of the bus and waited until it drove past until he burst out laughing. Kagome looked at him in surprise until he told her what he heard. She then burst out laughing and they had to clutch onto one another before they fell over.

"You mind telling me how you two got off that bus?" Inuyasha said standing over them, the laughing took the better of the two they fell over.

"Oh, Harry picked a fight with a biker about twice his size, and I was just telling him how funny it would be to see that fight." Kagome said wheezing out the last few words. At this Harry stopped laughing and glared at his companion. By that time the rest of the others had caught up with Inuyasha as he was helping Kagome up. The hanyou turned and grabbed Kagome's bag and then turned his back on Harry. Ron helped his friend up and Harry turned back to catch his bag. They all thought the best thing would be to set up the tent and decide what to do next. Kagome and Hermione had a fun time watching a few of the boys try and set up the tent, but because Inuyasha hated Harry, and Koga hated Ron the progress was slow.

After about two hours the boys finally had the tent up, with no help from the demons mind. Harry walked back to the girls and ask them what they thought.

Hermione tilted her head to the side, "Is that supposed to be an artists interpretation of a tent," the other two tilted their heads as well. Harry had to admit, it did look better that way.

Both Inuyasha and Koga were able to royally lose their tempers and broke a few of the major poles, but they refused to let the wizards fix it so the tent now had a slight dent in the roof and was leaning on one short leg.

All three of them started laughing as they tried to envision what the inside of the tent would be.

"So Kagome where's Shippo?" Harry said still smiling.

Shippo started to come off of his sugar low and woke up from his curled up position under Harry's chair. He blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes. He looked around for the familiar jeans and sneakers, but when he didn't find them he crawled up on the seat. Both Harry and Kagome were nowhere to be seen so Shippo figured they were probably kissing in the bathroom. He sat down next to the window and started to stare out of it. After a while when the two didn't come back Shippo saw all of their things were gone and he was the only one left. He didn't know what to do exactly. Kagome was gone, Harry was gone and he was in the middle of no where.

Shippo went up to the front of the bus and asked the tour guide where Harry and Kagome were, with tears running down his face.

"Oh you mean you're parents. I can't believe they left without you!" The guide stared raving about leaving children in foreign places and that made Shippo cry even louder.

"Ok, ok, we can let you off but I don't recommend it, there may be some dangerous things out there. Are you going to be ok or do you want to come with us?" She said smiling sweetly at Shippo.

"I wanna get off!" Shippo cried causing a great disturbance. The bus doors opened and Shippo jumped off the few feet to the ground. The area where the bus stopped was a tall grass plain. Shippo started to get afraid as the bus drove past him. He started to hate Harry for taking Kagome away, oh well he was going to have to use his nose to get back.

"Shippo!" A voice called out behind the bus, as it drove away Shippo saw Harry standing there looking at him.

"I knew you would be smart enough to get off that bus." He said smiling at the kit. Shippo ran up and punched Harry as hard as he could in the knee. "OW! What was that for?" Harry said glaring at the kit from his kneeling position on the ground.

"That's for leaving me!" Shippo said glaring at him, then he ran to hug Harry's neck, "and that's for finding me." He said as he clung to the seventeen-year-old.

"C'mon lets go back." Harry said, they started to walk back along the road together.

Shippo soon fell asleep on Harry's shoulders not that the wizard minded, he was happy he was able to apparate to the place where Shippo was. He actually surprised himself when he opened his eyes and saw the dirt flying up from the road the bus was driving on.

After three more hours he was finally able to reach the small campsite the others had set up. When the two of them walked through the tent flap the entire crowd burst into different noises.

Harry set the Kitsune down on one of the beds and then went back to the table. The tent was pretty much the same as it was before, the giant round table next to a kitchen, five doors surrounded the walls, and the ceiling just a little lower.

Harry didn't feel like answering questions and thankfully he didn't because the main topic was what was going to happen after Voldemort/Naraku was destroyed. All Harry had to do was sit back and let the conversation wash over him.

"Oh Harry!" Said Hermione causing him to jump, "I forgot to tell you, Chi asked if when you got back if you would go out and speak with him." Harry nodded wearily, wanting only to sleep, and got up to leave. When he reached the back of the tent Chi was nowhere to be found.

"Chi?" The python slithered next to Harry's feet.

"_I can change if you would like_," the snake said turning its head to meet Harry's.

"_Whatever is best for you_." Harry said hoping the snake would change.

"I will stay in my human form from now on, I only changed because I was hungry." Harry was about to ask but then decided against it.

"Um, I was told you wanted to see me?"

"Yes, the Dark Lord mentioned to my father, the previous king, about five other objects when he came to my clan to ask if we would protect the goblet." When Chi started explaining the different objects Harry recognized them to be the different Horcruxses.

"Do you know what the last one was?" Harry questioned. He realized now, he and with the help of the others had now killed off five pieces of Voldemort's soul. Chi watched Harry's face carefully before he made any comment.

"No but the Dark Lord did mention he was close to finding the last object. Now you will tell me how a half-breed like you are able to speak the ancient language of Parseltongue."

Harry had no idea why but he found himself telling Chi everything about his life and history. He left almost none of it blank, and never once did Chi ask a question. The fifteen year old simply stared and listened. At the end Harry felt sad his story was coming to an end, because Chi was such a very good listener.

When Harry finished Chi stared at a spot on the ground. He had a hard time to sympathize with most humans, but this one sitting next to him wasn't asking for sympathy but just for him to listen.

"I cannot say what the last object is, but after hearing your life I may be able to say what it might be. The Dark Lord loved to take items, tokens if you will from his conquests. When my father met with the Dark Lord nearly sixteen years ago he mentioned he was on his way to see, what I believe is, you. When he arrived at your house that night he found his last piece for his soul." Harry looked up when Chi made this last statement.

"You think he took something from my house and turned it into a Horcrux?" Harry asked with a disgusted look on his face. Chi stayed as impassive as ever, still staring at the same spot on the ground. "Where do you think he would hide it though?" Harry wondered. At this Chi's eyes opened wide.

"Harry, I believe I know, give me time." Before Harry answered the snake king was gone. He could hear the king calling over the grass. "_Brothers, sisters, I call to you_!" There was a scream and then the wind picked up Chi's voice and carried it away.

Harry sat for less than twenty minutes before Chi returned.

"I have informed my brothers and sisters to find the last item and return to me. All we have to do now is wait." Chi seemed to want to only sit against the back of the tent, but he turned to Harry with closed eyes, "Go inside, they're waiting for you." Was the last thing he said before Harry turned and went back. When he was back inside Harry noticed two of the main people were gone.

Before Harry returned from finding Shippo, Kagome took Inuyasha aside and they traveled far away from the encampment. When they were a safe distance away Inuyasha set Kagome down and stood for a while just staring out at the grass.

"This looks just like the ocean," He commented, "The way the wind moves and the grass… What did you want to talk about?" He questioned turning to face her.

"Oh, do we have to do this now? I mean can't it wait for a little while longer?" Inuyasha sensing he knew what Kagome was going to tell him wanted only to prolong their time together.

"Yeah, well, do you know what this reminds me of? The time Mirkou decided he would claim a field as his kingdom." Kagome looked at Inuyasha as he sat down "I don't think we told you that story. Well he got pretty drunk and stumbled out of the place we were staying and found this field, it was there he decided he would live on that spot and become a king. He passed out after deciding where his palace would be put." Kagome laughed at the sight of the monk dreaming of palaces and pretty girls.

"I wonder how he and Sango lived after….after it all." She glanced at Inuyasha.

"Hey don't look at me," the hanyou said as he threw his hands up, "I don't remember a thing after it happened, I just woke up and the time was, well I guess now. No, wait…" He said sitting up, "I do remember something. Just before I woke up I saw you, and your mother, you were in your kitchen and then you fell to the floor, I think you were in pain. And then something went off in your mind and I woke up." Inuyasha stopped. "You were the one who put me to sleep," he said slowly turning to her, "you put a protective shield around me where I stayed for five hundred years, and I would have stayed longer if you hadn't been triggered into waking me up." The half-demon spoke faster and faster, "Kagome I think you're the unspeakable power the prophecy spoke of. You're the one who has to figure out what to do."

Kagome stayed silent for a few moments, she had no idea how to respond to Inuyasha's new statement, it was the same thing Kin had said. Inuyasha knowing he had upset her changed the subject back to their fallen friends.

The conversation was pleasantly forced for a few hours as the two reminisced and thought about Kagome's reason for bringing them both out there. Finally after about three hours Kagome was able to call up her nerve and do what she wanted to do all day.

Inuyasha was taken by surprise when Kagome grabbed him and pulled him into a deep kiss. They hung there for a while until Inuyasha came to his senses and pulled Kagome closer.

Again Kagome knew in her heart where she truly belonged. She brought her arms loser to his neck and refused to let go.

_Just sit here with me_ Inuyasha thought; _even if you're going to leave I want to have a good memory, just one last time_. His eyes flashed back to the last time he saw Kikyo and how this felt somewhat familiar.

"Inuyasha, I have to tell you my heart lies with-"

**A note from your Author:** Yup I really got you guys there. I am sure I will finish this before the 7th book comes out!


	35. Chapter Thrity Four

**Chapter 34**

"Inuyasha, I have to tell you my heart lies with-" Kagome never finished but let out a scream. Something had slithered past her ankle and she jumped up in fright. All around them hissing and murmuring surround the air.

Inuyasha held onto the trembling girl and wondered vaguely if that boy knew of Kagome's fear of snakes. They waited for about twenty minutes, then the hissing died and the only sound was the wind. Inuyasha helped Kagome down from her perch on his back,

Kagome leaned in to whisper the end of her thought, but like Chi's voice, hers was carried off with the wind.

The two of them stayed out for a while longer, basking in the moonlight, after a while they started to make their way back hand in hand. When the tiny silhouette of the camp site came into view, Inuyasha pulled Kagome back. He drew her into a long kiss, which tasted of new beginnings.

They went, hand in hand, to the tent.

Three days passed before Chi heard anything from his fellow snakes. It was mid-afternoon when he came through the door.

Harry and Ron were teaching Shippo how to play wizards chess, Inuyasha and Koga were outside sparring, the girls were at the table gossiping, and Sesshomaru took Jaken for a walk.

After finding the specific person he wanted to talk to Chi went up to Harry. Harry, himself, was rubbing his eyebrows from almost being singed off. Shippo thought after every chess conquest here should be an explosion had started to add in his own little bombs to the pieces. After a particularly nasty move by Ron, the entire board was covered in smoke and sparks.

Chi placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and Harry knew it was his chance to break free.

"Shippo I think you're ready to take on Ron all by yourself," He said to the kit, who had been playing on Harry's lap. Ron threw Harry a look fixed with fear and anger as Harry followed Chi outside.

"I received the message just now. There is a house not too far away built in the middle of the woods, my brothers tell me they know the Dark Lord resides there. But further on, deep within the forest there is another house where no living thing lives. There is a great unspeakable power lying near the top of the house. It is mot likely the last part of the Dark Lord's soul." Chi stayed quiet and watched Harry.

"Do you think we can get there by magic?" Harry asked, hoping the answer was yes, because he was still tired from carrying Shippo a few days ago.

"Yes, for a time, but there are heavy enchantments surrounding the main house, the only way is to slip past undetected."

"Walking."

"Yes, by walking, but as I said earlier the house are not far form where we are now. In just a few hours walk we would be at the edge of the forest and sphere of the Dark Lord's protection."

"Well then, we better get started." Harry said moving to the front of the tent.

"Wait," Chi said grabbing Harry's arm. "Wouldn't it be better if only you and I go alone? Then we can bring back the object in glory." Chi stared at Harry's face.

"I will not leave behind those who wish to come, if they want to say and wait, they can, but if they want to go and fight then I cannot stop them." Harry looked hard into the serpent's eyes and turned to inform the others of their departure.

When they all were almost ready to leave, Harry grabbed Sesshomaru's arm and pulled the demon back.

"Can you keep an eye on Chi? I don't want him leaving us at all today." Sesshomaru gazed at Harry as if the boy had finally seen the light, nodded and left.

When the tent had been taken down Harry glanced at Chi for direction. The serpent king pointed the way and all was silent as they walked. Shippo, for once, was awake but seemed to take on the gigantic task they were about to do and stayed silent.

After a few hours just as Chi said they were able to see a fine line of dark green across the horizon. As they got closer Harry noticed the demons, (and half-demons) seemed to be getting more and more on edge. Sesshomaru started to explain as they moved even still closer.

"There is a very strong vortex surrounding most of that forest, it is like feeling an extra arm the power we are coming close to. Death will become of anyone who crosses that threshold." Sesshomaru's speech being over a new silence packed with unease filled the entire company.

When they reached the forest's edge, with the help of the demons they stared their slow trek though the trees but around the vortex.

Harry could feel the sunlights comforting warmth fall way and the damp, cool forest swallowing him. If the sun were above them they would have had more light, but because it was later in the afternoon, the sun was falling behind their back. It wasn't long until the celestial light had fallen completely away.

The demons provided more use by helping them to see in the semi-darkness. On and on the walked, Harry wondering if it would last forever, they then came upon a small clearing. A house stood all alone in the center of the field. It looked eerily familiar as Harry recognized it to be the house he lived in with his parents for that one short year.

The fading light bathed only the room as the rest of the house enjoyed the shadows. When Harry was a few feet from the door something strange happened. He moved through what felt like an invisible wall, and it started ripping, it tore at Harry's shirt and pants. When he was finally through he noticed there was even a hole in one of his shoes. He turned to see Ron trying to enter but instead of just ripping at his clothes, the wall started to rip at Ron's skin as well.

Harry pushed his friend back as Inuyasha and Chi pulled. It seemed as if this task was meant for Harry, and Harry alone.

Harry moved farther in until he was at the door. Before he could stop he grabbed the knob and pushed the door open.

Harry was astonished when he was the inside of the house. It was exactly the same as when he saw it in the memories of one of the previous Horcruxses. He pictures smiled up at him, his parents laughing and waving. Harry moved past the stairs and into the living room. He saw a few baby toys laying on the floor and a blanket on one of the couches.

Harry didn't know what made him feel it but he suddenly felt extreme pity for the man called Tom Riddle. Harry no longer saw Voldemort, The Dark Lord, whatever he called himself, he only saw the lonely old man behind the façade. Harry wondered if Riddle ever came to this house and wandered its many rooms to have just a small taste of what having a family would be like. Harry now saw how human Riddle was, an outcast his entire life, and a feared entity now. Harry wondered what life would be like without his friends and he realized Riddle deserved nothing more than pity. Harry knew Riddle thought the worst thing in life would be to be pitied.

After a while of looking around Harry went to the stairs, remembering Chi saying whatever it was, the object was upstairs.

Harry was followed by even more pictured and reminders of his parents life. At he top of the stirs he saw four doors. _That was the bathroom_, Harry remembered, _and this is the closet_, he thought knocking off another door. _This…this was their room_ he remembered a lump growing in his throat,_ but it wouldn't be in their room_, he thought turning to the last door_ it would be in mine_.

When he opened the door to his room he saw noting for a few seconds. Then whoever was inside the room turned on the light.

There standing next to the crib was an adult, about the same age of James Potter when he died, version of Tom Riddle.

"Tom, what are you doing here?" Harry asked, Riddle blanched at the sound of his name, but it quickly died and became a smile.

"Why Harry, son, I thought you would know, I was waiting for you." The voice gave the impression of poisoned honey. Harry backed up almost out the door. "Why, son, why do you turn from me, I _love_ you." Love seemed to be the last thing on the demon's mind, but whatever he said it made Harry stop. "I _love_ you more than anything else, _you_ are all that matter to me, come closer let me see you." As if invisible strings pulled him Harry moved closer. "Yes, you have grown up," The figure commented. "We are very much alike, you and I, both orphaned, both friendless, both craving for something just our of reach." Harry pulled away after that.

"How can we be the same? I have friends, they're all down there waiting for me to come back." Harry knew he had friends who cared deeply for him. As if on command Riddle started to laugh.

"Do you really believe that Harry? Only those who are true friends could have passed through that little shield I created out there. Only those who truly wanted to help _you_ would have been able to come through. And that _girl_," Harry looked up knowing Riddle was speaking of Kagome, "she doesn't care for you, she's still with that demon isn't she?" As much as Harry hated it, he allowed the words to wash over him. Riddle was right. Kagome was always talking about Inuyasha and never wanted to be with Harry. Harry started to think of his other "friends" hating them more and more. Before Harry could stop it he was under Tom Riddle's spell.

Down below Kagome looked up at the house, she could see a shadow behind the curtains but nothing else. Kagome couldn't shake the feeling of dread she had since Harry entered the house. Before anyone could stop her she ran at full speed to the house. Her clothes ripped, cuts opened all over her exposed skin but Kagome kept going. When she reached the door she barged it open and went through.

Riddle could feel someone coming up the stairs as he whispered lies into Harry's willing ear.

"Harry!" Kagome yelled when she ran into the room, "What have you done to him?!" She screamed at Riddle.

Harry's face had changed since the last time Kagome had seen it. He was smiling, but it was a cold, cruel smile, one that didn't even make it past his nose and into his eyes. Harry's eyes, which had once been so full of life and light, were now cold and hard, just like the emeralds the color mirrored, like stone.

"Harry snap out of it!" Kagome called trying to wake him.

"Go away, I don't need you anymore." Harry said stressing every word. Kagome looked at him and started to cry, the tears mixed with the blood that was freely flowing donw the sides of her face. Riddle laughed and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, Kagome tried to fight it off but she found she was rooted to the spot. She couldn't get away from those glassy eyes staring out from the person she had….

"But I love you." She whispered.

"What did you say?" Riddle said staring at the girl standing in the doorway.

"I love him," she turned to Harry, her face glowing from her tears, "I LOVE YOU, SO SNAP OUT OF IT!" she yelled, the water now rolling fully down her face. She bowed down and wept on the floor. All hope had faded from her, she now simply watched her blood drip into the carpet. A hand gently slid through her hair and fingers until it reached her chin. When Kagome looked up she saw Harry smiling down at her with his radiant soft smile.

"Now Tom, where were we?" Harry said glaring at the man in front of him.

"NO!" Riddle screamed running at Kagome. Just as he was about to grab her Harry touched his hand. Riddle screamed again and disappeared.

"What, what happened?" Kagome asked as she pulled herself up.

"He's dead," Harry said while staring at an object on the floor. Kagome saw it was a broken music box with a smiling woman on the front. "My mother's box," Harry said picking up the broken toy, "my mother would play this and sing me to sleep every night." Harry wiped the tears from his eyes, "So what did you tell him to get him to let me go?"

"You mean you don't remember?" Kagome looked at the genuine curiosity on Harry's face knowing full well he had no idea what happened. "I just threatened him." She said dismissively. Harry smiled and decided he wouldn't push whatever she was hiding.

There wasn't time anyway. Outside the widow the pair saw a giant flash and then a crash shook the entire house.


	36. Chapter Thirty Five

**Chapter 35**

While Kagome and Harry had been doing battle with the fake Voldemort inside the others had been doing battle with the real Voldemort outside. Under a crimson moon the smell of war raged around the tiny house.

Demons, Death Eaters, and all other sorts of evil and nasty things were out to create as much havoc as they could. As Harry and Kagome rushed down the stairs and out the door he pulled out his wand, and she summoned her bow and arrow.

When they opened the door five Death Eater's surrounded them. Kagome shot a few arrows out along with Harry flying curses. In seconds five dead or unconscious men lay at their feet.

While they were able to stand on the doorway, Harry and Kagome watched the battle for a few seconds. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru had their swords and were making a very good mess out of half the demons coming their way. It appeared Chi had called upon his snakes and were biting everything they could. Ron and Shippo were nowhere to be seen as well as Koga. Hermione was standing next to a boulder appearing like she would protect it with her life. Which seemed very hard at the moment since she was doing battle with a giant nasty demon that was able to shield every one of her curses. Kagome easily shot down the demon and Hermione quickly made eye contact with them.

When Harry saw the back of a very familiar head he tore off away from the house. In seconds he had his wand to the back of the being's neck.

"Harry, why didn't you kill me when you first saw me? Why did you wait until you were right up next to me?" Voldemort turned to face Harry head on.

"Because there are things worse than death Tom." Harry said not realizing he was quoting a very special somebody.

Riddle snorted, "You sound exactly like him. Tom Riddle is dead." Riddle flicked his wand and everything stopped, all the Death Eaters and Demons backed away from the dueling area for the two. "Tom Riddle is dead," Riddle said again, "But Lord Voldemort will live forever."

It was Harry's turn to snort, he started to empty his pockets of several different objects, five thuds could be heard across the silent clearing (Everything was under a shrinking charm, but when Harry dropped them, they started to grow). "Oh, and your servant Lucius probably gave you the other one, a diary wasn't it?" Harry stared into Riddle's eyes, no longer fearing him, but pitying him. "You're no longer immortal Tom, you're just a sad, lonely, man." His words seemed to hit home Riddle seemed to pale but he held his ground.

"Oh and what are you? Everyone around you dies, your family, your friends, even that boy three years ago, he was killed just because you had be noble." Riddle spat the last word out with such disdain Harry thought he could have been spitting poison.

"Why won't you let anyone in Tom? Why can't you see the only person to blame in this clearing is yourself?" Harry questioned of the man standing before him.

Riddle sneered and then raised his wand, he flicked it a few times and it turned into a sword and he raised it to Harry's cheek. "So sorry, my other form prefers this to wands."

For the second time in his life Harry picked up Gryffindor's sword and prepared to do battle for his life. Riddle flicked the sword and Harry could feel the warm liquid flowing down the side of his face.

"First blood," Riddle whispered a maniac gleam in his eyes.

Just as in a wizards duel Riddle and Harry backed away from one another and bowed. The entire forest was silent and still, the wind only allowing itself to quietly float between the two, causing the blood on Harry's face to dry quickly.

Harry waited knowing full well Riddle wanted him to make the first move. Riddle soon tired of Harry's patience and lunged.

Sparks and clashes carried over the crowd as the two battled, it was easy to see Riddle had the upper hand, but Harry was able to block most of his jabs because the older man wasn't very good at concealing his moves.

The minutes flashed by with no victor among them. It was soon seen, despite Harry's lack of talent both were very evenly matched.

After a particularly loud crash Riddle pushed Harry away from him, the two stood in the circle of followers not noticing they were being watched.

"So, shall we keep going like this forever, or will you surrender and discover I am the true master?" Riddle said only loud enough for Harry to hear. "Why did you start this insane endeavor in the first place? Did you think you would win against someone who wanted only to kill you?" The bloodthirsty gleam had gone out of Riddle's eyes, now it was only curiosity.

"No, I really didn't think about what would happen when we met again for the last time, but I know now." Harry looked at the very…human man standing before him. "I don't want to kill you Tom, I pity you too much to kill you." Harry glanced down at the ground. He didn't know what came over him, but thinking of the house this wizard had re-created made him pity Tom Riddle even more.

"One of us must die!" Riddle yelled.

"Some that live deserve death, and some that die deserve life, how can you be so quick to make that judgment?" Harry looked deep into Riddle's eyes searching for something remotely pure. (A.N. I don't own Lord of the Rings but I do so love that line).

"YOU MUST DIE!" Riddle yelled as he charged at Harry catching the boy off guard.

Riddle's aim was pure, Harry fell back with the dark wizard pinning him to the ground. Riddle shook his sword and it turned back into a wand.

"I prefer it this way." Was all that came from Riddle's lips.

A flash of green light, and a scream was the last Harry heard.

From Kagome's view on the steps of the house she could only see the tops of the two fighter's heads. She tried to get higher but was unable to get past all the demons. As if on command arms wrapped around her waist and she was flying up to the roof of the house.

Inuyasha set Kagome down on the roof and then stood next to her, they watched the battle in compete silence until the half-demon turned to Kagome.

"Kagome, if Naraku dies, then I think we are going to be sent back." The girl looked at her companion, "Well, he's the one who opened the gap, I think when he dies everything will be righted." He said looking away from her at the stars. "I want to die, I have lived far to long a life." The hanyou said completely out of character. "You deserve to be with him, I belong somewhere else. Do what you need to do." Inuyasha kissed Kagome's forehead and turned her around to face the battle.

It was at that moment Harry fell. In one second the green light flashed and Kagome screamed. Suddenly the whole clearing was filled with a white light and when it was gone only three beings were left standing, (other than the plants of course) and a giant bubble stood in the center.

Kagome climbed through one of the open windows and down the stairs and out to where she saw him fall.

Harry was lying on the ground; glassy eyes open staring up at the night sky.

The aforementioned bubble was floating gently near his feet. When the others got closer they saw inside were two beings. Naraku and Voldemort once meshed had been torn apart, Voldemort pointed his wand at Kagome and another green flash erupted from inside the vortex.

Instead of landing his curse on the appropriate person the curse bounced off the walls of the bubble and ended up hitting both Naraku and Voldemort. When the curse disappeared, the bubble popped and one body fell to the ground as the other was lifted up and then spirited away.

Not even glancing at the other body Kagome went over and kneeled over the still form of her beloved.

"I love you," She whispered into a deaf ear.


	37. Chapter Thirty Six

**A note from your Author:** I would like to say when the white light hit everyone, all the Death Eaters were spirited away, including the ones in the main house, the demons were taken also back to the place where they originally woke up, in present day Earth and when Naraku died they were sucked back into the gap.

**Chapter 36**

"Throw something at him." A voice whispered.

"That's terrible, I'm not going to throw anything." Another voice whispered back.

"But we have to know if he's awake, throw something at him." The first voice whispered back.

"That's insane, if he was awake then he would open his eyes." The second hissed.

"Well, it doesn't have to be all that big, just something small….hey! what about this?" The first voice started to get excited and his voice began to increase in volume.

The person in question cautiously opened his eyes, lest something be tossed in his direction. Instead of seeing his surroundings, all the being saw was a pillow, to the face.

Harry toppled over from surprise when the pillow hit Ron squarely in the nose. He and Hermione had been silently fighting about throwing things at their sleeping companions or letting them rest. Harry, personally, thought speaking to Hermione for four days straight was a little much, then always being on edge about the other two and their health, so needless to say he was grateful when Ron finally awoke long enough for them to speak with him.

"I hate you." Ron muttered. Harry laughed as he watched his best friend hold the bridge of his nose; grateful they were able to revive Ron at all.

On the night when Riddle died (begin flashback) before Harry had started fighting with Riddle Ron had received a critical blow from behind by one of the demons he was fighting. The demon ended up making a slash across Ron's neck and if it weren't for quick thinking from Kagome and her arrow he would have died.

Hermione was able to stop the bleeding and with help from Chi they were able to close up the cut entirely. After he had been healed Ron got up and went back into the battle. The only reason he was asleep for the few days, was when he lunged at a demon he tripped and hit his head on one of the tree branches.

Hermione who had seen the whole Harry/Riddle battle could fill in some of the gaps between his story.

When Riddle had Harry pinned instead of the killing curse hitting Harry it turned into different energy and surrounded Riddle in the bubble. That was the white light Hermione explained. Then she saw the two beings ripped apart and that was when she and Chi ran for Harry. Kagome got there first, however, and when the killing curse was directed towards her, they both saw the hex bounce off the edges killing both who were inside.

After that Kagome fell to the ground Hermione went to find Ron and Chi revived Harry. The force of the curse changing its course had hit him full on, when he woke up Harry remembered nothing after walking into the house.

There was one person of their party who was still unconscious (end flashback). Harry now dropped his smile and glanced over at the bandaged girl lying on the other bed in the room. Her wounds from crossing the invisible wall had still not closed and despite all of Chi and Hermione's magic the best they could do was stop most of the bleeding. Hermione said the best thing was to wait for Kagome to heal herself.

They spoke quietly with Ron for a few hours filling him in on everything that had happened after he was knocked out. Well, it was mostly Hermione talking because Harry remembered nothing but seeing his house and waking up with Kagome's form at his feet.

Harry left allowing Ron and Hermione some private time, even though the only thing he wanted now was to sit at Kagome's side and stroke her hand.

He had no idea what had happened to the demons, Shippo, Koga, Sesshomaru, Jaken and even Inuyasha had all disappeared. Hermione said she hadn't a clue where they were. She said she saw Koga fighting and then he was gone.

Harry moved farther out, leaving the tent flap and standing outside allowing the wind to overtake both his mind and body.

Since neither Harry nor Hermione were strong enough to carry Kagome and Ron very far, they set the tent up on the edge of the forest, with the protective shield surrounding the main house gone.

Harry wanted so desperately to help in any way possible but he had to keep telling himself to wait and be patient.

A few hours later Harry was able to pull himself out of his stupor and back inside the tent. Not wanting to sit idle he went to the kitchen with no particular hunger. As Harry was bending over to see what was in the lower cupboards he heard a slight growl behind him. Then even quieter than the growl someone started speaking.

"I'm going to kill you." At this Harry spun around to see Kagome standing as tall as she could with her hair in disarray. The next second she fell to the ground and Harry ran to catch her. "Take me outside." She commanded into his shirt. With ease (A.N. the only reason Harry couldn't carry her before is because he had just been through what was like seven or eight stunning spells straight close range to the chest) he picked her up and carried her out to the field. It was growing dark and the stars were just starting to shine.

"Why were you going to kill me?" Harry said forcing himself to speak, he was just so brilliantly happy she was awake and walking, sort of. He sat down a few hundred feet from the tent still holding her in his arms.

"Firstly, because you almost died, and secondly….you'll just wait to find out." Kagome fingered her bandages on her arm. She hadn't realized just how many cuts and scrapes she had when she went through that wall to get to the house.

They both sat there for a while not really caring about the cool wind, or the night calls of animals in the forest.

"You know where they went, don't you?" Harry said so softly he was afraid she wouldn't hear. "The demons."

"Yeah," Kagome gazed ahead at the grass swaying, "When Naraku died the gap he opened letting all the demons through closed bringing all the things that had slipped in back." Both sensed the pain in her voice and a quiet lull fell between them again.

Kagome reached up and touched the bandage on Harry's face, "You're going to have another one," she said stroking the binding. Harry just shrugged.

"Nah, there are some scars worth having." He said wondering where he had heard that before.

He leaned down and gently kissed the matching dressing on Kagome's face and then brought his lips to hers.

That was his plan anyway. Harry got about as far as halfway down to Kagome's face when he heard clapping and shouting behind him. When he glanced back he saw almost the entire Weasley family, half the Order, and some other wizards he didn't know.

The ones responsible for the clapping were Fred and George of course, despite their mother elbowing them hard in the ribs for it. Harry stood up and helped Kagome up to greet their visitors. Still a little lopsided Kagome had to lean on Harry for support, which only got more cheers from the twins.

"Oh we're so proud of you dear," Said Mrs. Weasley who reached the couple first. "Destroying You-Know-Who and keeping everyone alive! Oh!" She pulled Harry into a hug, while he tried vainly to keep Kagome upright. Mr. Weasley was able to catch the girl before she fell and then looked at his wife.

"Really, Molly, let the poor boy breath." As everyone started to make their way to the tent, but Harry had to stop them. He was trying to get out from under a massive hug from Hagrid as the man sobbed into his shoulder.

"It's really small, I can go in and get Hermione and Ron and we can rebuild it, but it could take a while. There's only a kitchen and a bedroom in there." When he and Hermione built the tent all they needed was a place to lay Ron and Kagome down and a kitchen for Hermione to brew her reviving potions.

"Not a problem, Harry m'boy, not a problem." Fred took out his wand and tapped the front of the tent. Nothing happened but Fred and George made their way in anyway.

"It's fine there's enough room now." Came a voice, with a slight echo to it.

When Harry helped Kagome through he almost laughed at the sight. Fred and George had transformed the tent to the inside of the Great Hall at Hogwarts. But instead of long house tables there were hundreds of armchairs circled around small fires. The room had a warm glow about it and for the first time in months Harry felt safe. He helped Kagome sit in one of the armchairs and then sat next to her.

Mr. Weasley, Professor McGonagall, and the wizards Harry didn't recognize sat down around the fire with them.

"Harry, we would like to talk to you about, well about the last few moths." Mr. Weasley looked down at his hands as if Harry was going to start yelling at them.

"Fine, uh what do you want to know?" All of the wizards seemed to sigh with relief as one pulled out a small box, and another leaned forward.

"Mr. Potter we come from the Ministry of Magic and we would like to get the full story and if, ah, if You-Know-Who is really dead." Harry shrugged off the thinly concealed jab and started to talk.

Harry was surprised how long it took for him to relay his life from the past few months. He decided to leave out his personal relationship with Kagome and the ongoing feuds between the different members of the company.

When he reached the part about going into the house to find the last Horcrux all of the wizards surrounding him were on the edges of their seats. One of the smaller witches actually looked as if she was going to fall off in excitement of what Harry was saying.

"And that's it really, I can't remember anything until Hermione woke me up and told me Riddle was dead." The wizards let out a sigh of disappointment and the witch on the edge did fall off when Harry started to speak she misunderstood what he was saying and with a squeak she fell from her post.

Harry glanced over at Kagome who, shortly after he started talking, had fallen into a deep sleep. He looked back at Mr. Weasley who nodded and started ushering the Ministry Officials away. Professor McGonagall stayed behind only for a few moments.

"We'll be expecting you next term, Potter." She said with a small smile on her face.

"Yes, Professor." Harry answered glancing up at her. With that she left towards two chairs that seemed unoccupied and tipped them over.

Harry stared at her odd behavior but then realized the chairs were filled with an invisible Fred and George. She started to lead them away scolding them all the while. Harry laughed at the outburst coming from the twins and the relentless Professor.

He then glanced over at Kagome who was starting to wake.

"Hey," He said bringing his chair closer. "Still going to tell me why you want to kill me?" He teased not expecting an answer.

"Because every time I told you I loved you, you go and forget everything!" She burst out, she then clapped her hand over her mouth and turned beat red. Harry was taken aback for a second and then smiled.

He kissed her fingers that were covering her mouth and looked up into her eyes.

"Well, I promise I'll remember this time."

"You better." She said kissing him again.

**A note from your Author:** I know this is the last chapter, and now it is finished. But don't dispare, dear readers, I thank you whole heartedly for allwoing me into your screens and letting me bring some laughter (I hope) to you. If you still want to read with me, I am currently working on an Escaflowne, and a Doctor Who fic and a short one-shot series of Pirates of the Caribbean. Thanks for making this even more enjoyable.


End file.
